ARTICLE:Old Forge gambling ring smashed

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Old Forge gambling ring smashed


By Megan Diskin , Times-Shamrock News Writer 02/07/2004


Five men in shackles lined up before a federal magistrate Friday afternoon after being charged with operating an illegal sports gambling ring out of Old Forge for the last decade.


Authorities arrested the men earlier in the day, culminating a 17-month investigation that included the use of two informants, telephone wiretaps and an undercover state trooper who placed more than 50 bets between October 2002 and January.

The five were identified as four Old Forge men - Robert Rinaldi Sr., 101 S. Main St.; Robert Rinaldi Jr., 177 N. Main St.; Richard Rinaldi, 426 S. Main St., and Gaeton Toraldo, 416 McClure Ave. - and a Scranton resident, Robert Bingham, no street address listed.

The five are charged with conducting an illegal gambling business that accepted bets on football and basketball. Each faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas M. Blewitt said.

State police said they have been investigating the "Rinaldi Organization" since September 2002 after a confidential informant claimed to have personally placed bets through the operation at least 50 times over two years. The same informant told police one bettor was cut off from placing bets because he owed the operation $25,000.

According to court records, state police conducted surveillance and wiretaps indicating the organization ran the bookmaking operation at 101 S. Main St. in Old Forge, which is also the address for Robert Rinaldi Sr.

Organization members commonly called it "The Joint."
Investigators said phone records also show bets were placed and taken by telephone at Cafe Rinaldi, 426 S. Main St., Old Forge, and Beach Tan Inc. in Taylor, and via Robert Bingham and Robert Rinaldi Sr.'s cell phones.

The informant told investigators bets were "settled up" between Tuesday and Thursday of each week in the Pizza Room of Cafe Rinaldi and at "The Joint," according to court records.
"The Joint" was also the site of a weekly high-stakes poker game organized by Robert Bingham, according to the affidavit.

The investigation also revealed each man played a different role in the organization, according to the criminal complaint:

Robert Rinaldi Sr. established betting pools and paid the bookmakers. During one recorded conversation between Rinaldi and his estranged wife, Janet, he complained about paying one of his bookies $500 a week for 20 years. He was upset because he owed $14,000, but the bookie couldn't help him pay it off.

Robert Rinaldi Jr. frequently took bets and instructed other members of the organization on how to take and make bets.

Richard Rinaldi would "settle up" all the betting action from wins and losses of the bettors under his name in the Pizza Room of Café Rinaldi, as well as at "The Joint," between each Tuesday and Thursday.

Bingham acted as the organization's enforcer and collector, and also took and laid off bets to the Rinaldi family. In a conversation between Richard Rinaldi and an informant,

Richard Rinaldi asked the caller if Bingham was still "throwing scares" into people when they didn't pay the organization what they owed.

Toraldo called the betting lines on a regular basis, sometimes several times daily, and placed 10 to 25 bets a day worth hundreds to thousands of dollars.

If bets were lopsided favoring one team over another, Toraldo would balance the books by placing a bet on the team with fewer takers in another bookmaking organization.
Assistant U.S. District Attorney John Gurganus would not comment on the case.

Attorney Thomas Munley represented Robert Rinaldi Sr., Robert Rinaldi Jr. and Richard Rinaldi. Court papers indicate Robert Sr. and Robert Jr. are father and son. Their relationship to Richard Rinaldi was not spelled out in court documents.

Court-appointed Attorney Robert McCormack represented Toraldo, and Attorney Ernie Preate represented Bingham.
Judge Blewitt told the Rinaldis that Munley might have to be removed from their case in the future due to a conflict of interest, but he did not elaborate on the nature of that conflict.

All the men except Bingham were released on their own recognizance after their initial appearance before Judge Blewitt on a single count of conspiracy to conduct an illegal bookmaking operation. Bingham was released on his own recognizance under special conditions, namely travel and weapons restrictions.

The next court date is set for Feb. 18, but that could change if a federal grand jury returns indictments before that date.

©The Citizens Voice 2004