Mafia informant who boasted on podcast about destroying evidence in prosecution of Philadelphia mob boss 'Skinny Joey' Merlino and claimed he committed 'more crimes while working for the FBI than on the street' AVOIDS additional jail time
John Rubeo, 45, avoided jail time on Tuesday despite pleading guilty after admitting to destroying evidence while working as an informant
A mob informant who appeared on a podcast with two other Mafia members where he boasted about destroying evidence in the prosecution of Philadelphia mob boss 'Skinny Joey' Merlino, has avoided additional jail time.
John Rubeo, 45, was blasted during a sentencing hearing on Tuesday by Manhattan federal judge Richard Sullivan – who accused the former mob associate of 'making a monkey' out of the court and the FBI, the New York Daily News reported.
'You can make a monkey out of the FBI, you can make a monkey out of the government — fine,' Sullivan said.
'But you're not going to make a monkey out of this court ... You gave a black eye to this court.'
Sullivan added that the only reason Rubeo would not be returning to court was because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the New York Daily News.
Rubeo served as a star witness during the 2016 racketeering case against Merlino – who later took a plea deal after his case was ruled a mistrial.
Rubeo was the star witness in the 2016 racketeering case against Merlino
Merlino's case was declared a mistrial and he later took a sweatheart plea deal
Rubeo said that he continued to commit crime while working as an informant in a case against Merlino
The former informant later admitted he 'mangled' the case against Merlino and 'committed robberies while I was cooperating' with the feds, during a podcast hosted by two other former mob associates.
'I almost felt like I could be a better criminal because I worked for them, because I knew they weren't watching me.
'I was committing more crimes when I was working for them than when I was on the street, and they were paying me $15,000 a month,' Rubeo said.
Rubeo was charged with communication with convicted felons without permission after appearing in the podcast with former Gambino associate John Alite and former Bonanno associate Gene Borrello.
Sullivan also ripped the FBI after it was revealed that Rubeo had discussed appearing on The Johnny and Gene Show with his former handler, the Daily News reported.
'You covered your a** a little bit, went to the FBI. But the fact is this was premeditated, Sullivan said.
'I don't think you appreciate the harm that you caused. You made the FBI look foolish. I'm not going to have you making the court look foolish.'
Rubeo also received charges of lying to his probation officer and association with convicted felons for the purpose of participating in an audio-visual podcast, records show.
The former informant pled guilty to all three violations last month and faced up to five years behind bars on Tuesday.
The former informant previously spent about five years wearing a wire and two years in jail, he said on the podcast.
'I was pretty confident I wouldn't be seeing Mr. Rubeo again,' Sullivan said.
'This is a person who was given an opportunity and squandered it. I'm really troubled by it.'