John Meringolo Obituary, Death – Longtime Manhattan defense lawyer John Meringolo, who was known for defeating federal prosecutors in high-profile cases, passed away on Thursday. He was 48. Richard Meringolo, the father of the seasoned litigator, told the Daily News that his son had passed away. Although his father claimed it was unexpected, the cause of his death was not immediately known. Meringolo is survived by his wife, his parents, and his twin sons, who are 1 year old.
His father’s heartbroken words were, “It’s horrible. “This is really a sad day.” After having a string of victories defending legendary clients in the significant mafia, RICO, and massive drug cases, Meringolo started to annoy federal prosecutors. In the racketeering case of Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino, the alleged boss of the Philadelphia crime family, he obtained a mistrial in 2018.
In January 2019, he persuaded a Manhattan jury to clear former NYPD deputy inspector James “Jimmy” Grant of claims that he accepted bribes from dishonest Brooklyn businessman Jeremy Reichberg. A few months later, he achieved an exoneration for John “Porky” Zancocchio, the purported lieutenant of the Bonanno crime family’s supposed leader. Due to his Italian ancestry, Meringolo claimed his client was a victim of the NYPD’s ethnic profiling.
The federal “We Build the Wall” crowdfunding case mistrial of Steve Bannon ally Timothy Shea earlier this year was another victory for him. In Shea’s second trial, which resulted in a conviction this month, he also served as Shea’s legal counsel. At his fourth murder trial in 2009, which resulted in a mistrial and the federal government declining to press further charges, he represented John “Junior” Gotti, Jr.
For the family of slain New York City firefighter Joseph Graffagnino, who passed away in the catastrophic Deutsche Bank fire in 2007, he obtained a $10 million settlement in 2012. According to his online biography, he was a law professor at Pace University where he served as the association’s faculty advisor. Additionally, he mentored and lectured students from the New York Law School and Brooklyn Law School.
According to his profile on the university’s website, Meringolo, who argued before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, co-founded a course at Pace University where students acted out every stage of a federal criminal case, from the bail hearing through the verdict. It was impossible to reach a representative for his law company Meringolo & Associates, P.C. right away.
