The Philly mob

Federal authorities insist the Philadelphia Mob is on the wane, that omerta is no more, and that wise guys are going away. One thing we know for sure, they don't make nicknames like these anymore:

Reputed wiseguy John "Johnny Chang" Ciancaglini (left) was recorded lamenting his losses in Philadelphia's 1993 Mob War by cop-turned-mobster-turned-informant Ron Previte. "The only people that got screwed out of this whole thing is my family," he said in a recording played at his trial in 2001. "My brother Joey can't walk and chew gum at the same time. Michael's in a box."

Former Mob boss Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo, who is said to have hated that handle, was short in stature.

Philip "Crazy Phil" Leonetti, Nicodemo Scarfo's nephew, decided he no longer wanted the monicker put on him as a reckless kid, when he turned and testified against his uncle, among others. His lawyer asked the press not to use the nickname anymore, and, oddly, the press complied.

Frank "Frankie Flowers" D'Alfonso ran a flower shop at 821 South Ninth Street for many years, hence his nickname. The shop was often a focus of police surveillance because reputed Mafia chieftains from the city and beyond could be seen entering its door. But law enforcement investigators said that D'Alfonso, who was 55 when he was gunned down on a South Philly street corner in 1985, was not a "made member" of the Cosa Nostra and had never, to their knowledge, killed anyone.

John "Johnny Cupcakes" Melilli's nickname was a tease that in his youth, girls thought he was cute. He grew up to be a South Philly bookmaker and an excellent blackjack and craps player. He won $323,740 at three Atlantic City casinos between 1985 and 1987, but went to jail for failing to report most of it on his income taxes. He was later banned from the casinos.

Peter "the Crumb" Caprio got his nickname, Caprio said while on the witness stand last year at age 83, because of his affinity for crumby treats, and because "I did a lot a lot of crummy things... Oh, I hit people with bats, pipes, shot people, stabbed people."

Reputed mob underboss Joseph "Mousie" Massimino, 62, was a codefendant in the federal trial against reputed boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi early this year. In a mixed verdict, Massimino was convicted of racketeering conspiracy.

Former high-ranking mob associate Louis "Bent Finger Lou" Monacello in 2008. Monacello testified as a prosecution witness against reputed mob boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi.

Harry "the Hunchback" Riccobene, who was riddled with bullets by mob rivals but not killed, had a tendency to stoop because of a child deformity. He died in prison in 2000 while serving a life sentence.

Former Philly top boss Angelo Bruno (at right) was known as The Gentle Don or The Docile Don because he tended to think his actions through. He was killed by a shotgun blast in 1980. Bruno's underboss, Philip "Chicken Man" Testa (at left), was killed a year later with a nail bomb in a gang hit. Testa came from a family that ran a chicken store.