Mobsters From Staten Island Detained for Operating $22 Million Unlawful Sports Gambling Network
Sports Betting in Staten Island: What's the Deal Now?
Are Staten Islanders in the loop about the new legal status of sports betting across New York?
Maybe not, considering the recent arrest of 17 local associates from the Gambino Crime Family. This is the gang charged with running a whopping $22 million illegal sports betting ring through an offshore website, as per the Attorney General's office.
The accused mastermind behind the offshore site, ubet1288, is Edward LaForte, who raked in a total of $22.7 million in sports bets from more than 70 bettors between September 2022 and March 2023, according to Staten Island Advocate and the AG's office.
With a wiretap, investigators picked up on a bettor who boasted a system that netted an impressive $800,000, but that was more the exception than the rule. Often, the gamblers would plunge themselves into thousands of dollars in debt at the hands of the ring's organizers - LaForte, John Matera, and Anthony Cinque, based in Edison, New Jersey - who, when bettors fell behind, supposedly offered loans at exorbitant rates.
At the court hearing this week, LaForte's attorney argued that at least there had been no violence involved during the gambling activities, stating, "The so-called victims all love LaForte...he's a gentleman. No one was roughed up, no one was threatened, no one was hollered at." This laid-back approach marks a contrast in the career of co-defendant Matera, who was previously nailed for racketeering conspiracy in connection with the murder of a man outside a Staten Island strip club.
Among the 17 charged are a retired NYPD officer, Frank Falcone Sr., and his 41-year-old son, Frank Jr. In anticipation of the takedown, the father and son duo were spotted shortly on their front stoop, pleasantly surrendering themselves to the authorities on Tuesday morning.
"Illegal bookmaking is often linked with organized crime," commented Brian O'Dwyer, New York State Gaming Commission Chairman, in the AG's release. "This is precisely why we impose strict regulations, safeguards, and player protections in regulated gaming, as opposed to gambling with offshore operations that enrich alleged mobsters."
Among the charges lodged against the members of this gambling and loan-sharking syndicate are enterprise corruption, promoting gambling, criminal usury, and conspiracy. Their next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 13 on Staten Island, according to the Advocate.
With the legalization of sports betting in New York since 2022, it's now possible for adults aged 21 and older to wager on sports through licensed operators. Despite this, rogue operations such as this one, seized by the authorities, may nudge Staten Island residents to consider the legal boundaries of sports betting in their area.
- Edward LaForte, the mastermind behind the illegal sports betting ring ubet1288, allegedly made over $22.7 million in sports bets from more than 70 bettors in New York and New Jersey between September 2022 and March 2023.
- Staten Islanders may not be fully aware of the new legal status of sports betting in New York, considering the recent crackdown on an illegal sports betting ring worth $22 million.
- The accused ring organizers, including John Matera and Anthony Cinque, offered loans at high interest rates to bettors who fell behind, according to investigations.
- The arrest of 17 local associates from the Gambino Crime Family, including a retired NYPD officer and his son, highlighted the connections between illegal sports betting and organized crime.
- Brian O'Dwyer, New York State Gaming Commission Chairman, commented that illegitimate bookmaking often links to organized crime, emphasizing the importance of regulated gaming to protect players.
- In light of these arrests, Staten Island residents might reconsider their decisions about sports betting, especially given the legal options now available for wagering on sports in New York since 2022.
