Friends of Ours

Three Dead In Mass Shooting At Detroit Barbershop Known For Illegal Gambling

Gunmen opened fire on a Detroit barbershop which apparently was known for illegal gambling resulting in three deaths and several injuries as reported by Corey Williams for The Associated Press.

Camorra Bust In Rome, Italy

The home turf for the Camorra is Naples but Rome police have arrested 15 suspected Camorristi in Italy's capital as reported by ANSA:  "the people arrested are associated with the faction of the Casalesi clan believed headed by Antonio Iovine and particularly active in the slot-machine business in game parlors and bars."

Ceasars Entertainment Pulls Out Of Casino Venture In East Boston After State Investigators Recommend License Denial

Ceasars is pulling out of an East Boston casino venture "after learning that state investigators would recommend to the gambling commission that [it] be disqualified from bidding for a Massachusetts license" as reported by Mark Arsenault for The Boston Globe:  "state investigators had raised red flags over a branding deal with Gansevoort Hotel Group, a New York boutique hotel company," and particularly with "one of the principals of Gansevoort, Arik Kislin, who was alleged in a 2012 New York Post article to have ties to Russian mobsters."  Caesars entered into the branding agreement in early 2013, and last week severed the deal "after Massachusetts regulators flagged it as a problem."

Prison Terms In Gambling Case

A federal prosecutor once called him the "chief operating officer" for a Gambino gambling ring in Fairfield County, CT, and yesterday Richard Uva was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison on a racketeering conspiracy charge as reported by Kelly Glista for The Hartford Courant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen previously said that Uva  was second-in-command to his longtime friend and co-defendant Dean DePreta who was "the titular head of the Gambino crime family" in southern Connecticut. 

DePreta was sentenced earlier this month to 71 months for his role in the operation as reported by Edmund H. Mahony for The Hartford Courant:  "authorities running wire taps recorded DePreta numerous times discussing the gambling operation, including his collection of 'street taxes' by extorting or 'shaking down' independent bookmakers who were not paying criminal organizations for protection."

Little Tony Says He Didn't Murder Gus Boulis

Anthony "Little Tony" Ferrari took the stand in his own defense to testify that he was not involved in the 2001 murder of Miami Subs founder and casino boat operator Gus Boulis, and instead pointed the finger at others as reported by Rafael Olmeda for the Sun Sentinel:

"Gus Boulis was murdered," Ferrari said. "He was murdered by Adam Kidan. And he used a friend of mine: James ["Pudgy" Fiorillo]."

Earlier this month Broward Circuit Judge Ilona Holmes declared a mistrial against co-defendant Anthony "Big Tony" Moscatiello after his defense lawyer was too ill to continue.

Last April "Pudgy" pled guilty for his role in the Boulis slaying, and agreed to testify against Ferrari and Moscatiello as previously reported by Rafael Olmeda for the Sun Sentinel.

Adam Kidan also testified for the prosecution.  He claims hiring Moscatiello to protect himself from Boulis during a business dispute over the floating casinos but "said he never wanted Moscatiello to kill or even communicate with Boulis," and prosecutors allege "Moscatiello saw Kidan as a steady stream of income for himself and family members, and ordered the hit on Boulis to protect that income."

Investigators suspect that Moscatiello had ties to Gambino boss John Gotti, and believe the triggerman in the Boulis slaying was mob associate John Gurino.  Gotti died of throat cancer in  2002 while serving a life sentence, and Gurino was slain in 2003 by Boca Raton deli owner Ralph Liotta.

So much drama in South Florida!

Guilty Plea In Racketeering Case Targeting North Jersey Genovese Crew

Patsy Pirozzi has pleaded guilty to racketeering charges for his role in a Genovese crew allegedly headed by Joseph Lascala in North Jersey as reported by Peter J. Sampson for The Record:  "Priozzi was described in court documents as an associate of the crime family who reported directly to Lascala and assisted him in carrying out the crew's racketeering activities, including illegal gambling, the collection of unlawful debt and cargo theft."

Earlier coverage:

Feds:  Genovese Crew Busted In North Jersey

China Accuses American As Crime Boss

U.S. businessman Vincent Wu faces an upcoming trial in a Chinese court on charges of heading a ruthless crew in the Guangdong province which "kidnapped rivals, threw acid at a judge, set fire to farmers' sheds, operated illegal gambling dens and committed other offenses" as reported by The Standard.

Guilty Plea In Racketeering Case Against North Jersey Genovese Crew

John Breheney has pleaded guilty to his collection role in an online sports betting operation that allegedly was backed by a North Jersey Genovese crew headed by reputed capo Joseph Lascala as reported by Joel Landau for Press of Atlantic City.  He has agreed to forfeit $400,000, and will be sentenced on February 5.

Earlier Coverage:

Feds:  Genovese Crew Busted In North Jersey