News HomeMost Read News
Illegal Casino and Betting Ring Busted
Despite the many casinos available in the US, there are still some people that will resort to crime. In other words, some people will organize illegal casino games and sports betting events. These kinds of activities are tied to all sorts of individuals, but originally they were tied to the Italian mob.
Recently, several members of the Genovese and Bonano crime families have been arrested for running illegal casino and sports betting rings out of several locations. In addition, a certain police detective was also arrested on account of taking bribes to keep the operation smooth.
A Decade-Long Ring Goes Bust
This police bust might seem like it came out from a movie, but it happened. Both crime families used their legal businesses including a gelato shop, a shoe repair store, and a soccer club to run their illegal rings. Detective Hector Rosario of Nassau County Police was nice enough to let them keep running their illegal business for a few bribes.
The scheme started back in 2012 when the 2 families decided to organize it and make it happen. The businesses were already established ones, especially the gelato shop which had been a favorite family place. The scheme had been going smoothly until it didn’t. The police raided their spots and arrested the culprits.
Some of the names that got arrested include the likes of Little Anthony, Joe Fish, Sal the Shoemaker, Joe Box, and others. Some of them were soldiers while others were either at the top or caporegimes. The Genovese caporegimes were released on $1.1 and $2 million bonds respectively, but they are still awaiting trial. The police detective involved got a bond of $500,000.
Besides the gelato shop, the gangsters used 3 soccer clubs and even a shoemaker store. The games that they offered included some poker machines as well as tables for illegal poker tournaments. You can say that they were pretty successful as they made over $2,000 a day. This money was laundered thanks by depositing them in the cash flow of their legal businesses. So, they profited from their scheme, but so did their bosses.
Besides offline, one member of the Genovese family, Polito, who’s a captain, allegedly, ran online sports betting scheme via an illegal site. He managed to extort an individual of thousands of dollars over bets which is why he’s tried.
All the members of the crime ring will be tried in September. This is another story that proves that crime doesn’t pay. If you’re looking to bet on sports or play casino games then stick to legal sources.
Conclusion
There are lots of casino venues in the US that any player can visit. Some states even offer online casino sites to players, and a majority offer sports betting services. The main thing to take away here is that there are legal ways of playing casino games and betting on sports both online and offline. You’ll be putting yourself at risk if you go for illegal casinos and sportsbooks.
