NACION ARTICLE: They condemn here to gangster by bets

[clevfan]

this is a slightly translated article which appeared in the CR newspaper today:

Four members of the gambino clan

They condemn here to gangster by bets
• Procesaban bets through Pelican Sports

Giannina Segnini
gsegnini@nacion.com
Editor of the Nation




In an historical judgment against the "family" gangster Gambino, of New York, four members of that clan were condemned yesterday in a court of Brooklyn to process illegal bets through a company/signature in Costa Rica.

Andrew Genser, public prosecutor whom it persecuted to the gangster ones, it confirmed to the Nation the sentence and said that the bets were placed through the company Pelican Sports, that operates in the country.



Genser explained that the condemned is Anthony Ciccone, Jerome Brancato, Richard Bondi and Primo Cassarino.

The four, affirmed the public prosecutor, served as agents as sportsbook and processed bets for about 30 better ones, between March of the 2000 and June of the 2002.



It noticed that evidences do not exist of which the condemned had participation shareholder in the house of bets.



Everything seems to indicate, said, that they worked like independent agents who received a commission by their services.



According to the accusation, the four condemned processed "tens of thousands of dollars per week" in sport bets, that are illegal in almost all the American states.



In the judgment 68 causes against 17 members of the "family" Gambino were processed. The main figure, also found guilty by other crimes, is Peter Gotti, who assumed the leadership of the clan a year ago, after the death of his brother, legendary the gangster John Gotti.



They deny bond

The page in Internet of Pelican Sports says that that house of bets was acquired by Jazz Casino and Sportsbook, a company/signature of Corporation of Investments DPT Dolphins S. A.



A DPT representative that requested not to be identified, explained yesterday that Pelican Sports let exist from July of the 2000.



"Any person could have used the name of the company. We do not have any relation with those people nor know who are ", said.



According to the Public Registry, the president of Corporation of Investments DPT is the Costa Rican Andrea Villalobos Ibarra.



This newspaper tried to communicate with her, but it did not respond to several messages that were left him on their cellular telephone.



The dominion of Pelican Sports in Internet is registered, from the 29 of October of 1999, to name of Luis Chavarría, who in addition is not the DPT. treasurer He responded a made call either to his office.




"They were recommendations"




Joseph Tacopina, lawyer of Jerome Brancato, one of the sentenced ones, said yesterday to the Nation that his client must not be condemned. "It only that for was to give him the telephone number it 1-800 of the house of bets in Costa Rica to some of its friends", explained.



According to the lawyer, the same Brancato placed bets in Pelican Sports, but never it was involved in that business.



The sentence still did not fix prison sentences, but the cause by illegal bets in New York implies a year of jail.



To name of Anthony Ciccone three income to Costa Rica are registered, between 1997 and 1998. No of the visits extended by more than three days.



The other three condemned, Bondi, Brancato and Cassarino, does not register migratory movements in the country.



In the judgment it declared, among others, the star of cinema Steven Seagal, victim of extorsion on the part of the condemned.




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The third man
• Ciccone coordinated bets of the Mafia here



The "captain" of the family Gambino, Anthony Sonny Ciccone, is, according to the FBI of New York, "the person in charge of a significant part of the criminal activity of the Gambino family and an important source of generation of money for them".

With 63 years of age, Ciccone has been condemned in other processes (in 1994 and 1998) related to blackmail and extorsion through unions of workers.



As "captain" occupies the third position in importance within the Gambino clan.



In a recording of 1986 the old head of the New York family Gambino, John Gotti (who died a year ago in prison), said that Ciccone was making more and more money for the family.



Gotti promoted to Ciccone like "captain", according to Jerry Capesi, journalist specialized in New York Mafia and author of the biography of the legendary Gotti.