Suffolk County Gambling Ring Busted
Warrant Executed At Home Of Woman, 93

July 15, 2003

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. -- Suffolk County authorities arrested eight men in connection to an illegal gambling ring run by the Bonanno crime family that brought in $20 million a year, prosecutors said.

The arrests were made Monday night, said District Attorney Thomas Spota's spokesman, Bob Clifford.

Authorities said Tuesday that two of the eight men were soldiers in the family, while the others were associates.

Investigators had been looking into the ring for the last four months, and there were signs it had been in existence for 20 years, Clifford said. Locations to take bets were set up in the Bronx and Manhattan, and the money was funneled to Costa Rica, he said. More than half of the alleged bets were on professional football.

Investigators also executed search warrants at various locations, one of which was the home of a 93-year-old woman. Betting slips were found there, and the woman was questioned but not arrested, Clifford said.

More arrests were likely, he said. Two of those arrested were arraigned and out on bail by Tuesday afternoon; the others were being arraigned.

[ source: WNBC ]

(Damn, I hope my bookie wasn't involved! )