New York mobsters charged with running illegal gambling

NOTORIOUS New York mobsters have been arrested and charged with running illegal casinos, as well as engaging in a number of other unlawful activities.

Federal Authorities have revealed they have charged seven members of the Gambino and Bonanno organised crime families for illegal gambling, racketeering conspiracy, and obstruction of justice.

Prosecutors unveiled a 13-count indictment for alleged criminal activity in Brooklyn and Long Island between January 2014 and December 2017 on Tuesday and detained the suspects.

The offenders reportedly offered and engaged in illegal poker games, slot machines and online sports betting.

It’s illegal to offer sports betting in America in every state except Nevada, Oregon, Delaware, and Montana.

New Jersey is attempting to overturn the piece of legislation which bans individual states from amending laws to allow sports betting (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act 1992). The Supreme Court heard cases for and against legalised sports betting last week, with a decision expected to be handed down before June.

While New York is looking to amend its laws to legalise sports betting it remains illegal in New York for the time being.

Suffolk County police also investigated the mob’s illicit casino, using tapped phone conversations to support their case.

Although New York has land-based casinos, acting captain of the Gambino family, John (Johnny Boy) Ambrosio, was caught on tape telling someone that they didn’t have to travel to the venues, instead, they could play “right here” and “save gas money”.

Ambrosio was arrested, along with Frank (Frankie Boy) Salerno, Anthony Saladino, Thomas Anzaone, Alessandro (Sandro) Damelio, Joseph Durso, and Anthony Rodolico and appeared in federal court before United States Magistrate, Judge Gary Brown on Wednesday.

“The arrests, in this case, prove organised crime families haven’t gone away, and continue to plague our communities with their general disregard for anything other than their own greed,” FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge, William Sweeney, said.

Along with the illegal gambling charges, the suspects also allegedly distributed a range of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine and Xanax and extended “extortionate” loans to several people, charging high-interest rates and violently collecting fund.

Several of the suspects face a 20-year prison sentence, while Saladino and Salerno face life for distributing of large quantities of cocaine, including 12 individual sales to an undercover cop which amounted to more than half a kilogram.