Police carry out gambling busts in California and New York.
Law enforcement agencies in the United States have taken action against illegal gambling rings in California and New York, leading to over 20 arrests last week. A major focus of the investigation is the attempted manipulation of an NCAA college basketball game through bribery. Here's a recap of the situation:
Politics and Gaming Connections
A crackdown on illegal gambling syndicates is currently underway in the US, with police raids in San Fernando Valley, California, and Staten Island, New York, leading to more than 20 arrests on October 3rd. While only a dozen computers were seized in California, eleven suspects in New York are believed to be part of the infamous Colombo mafia family. Besides blackmail, extortion, and harassment, these individuals are also accused of trying to influence an NCAA college basketball game.
The scandal took an interesting turn when 25-year-old Benjamin Bifalco, a staff member for New York state senator Nicole Malliotakis, was identified as one of the suspects. Bifalco, who also serves as the local director of community affairs, is accused of conspiring with the son of a New York mafia godfather, 26-year-old Joseph Amato Jr. The alleged plan involved paying "thousands of dollars" to "several members" of an unnamed team. However, the scheme didn't materialize, and details have emerged about Bifalco's connections.
Malliotakis Under Fire
Bifalco's arrest has raised some eyebrows given his roles in local politics and his connections to Malliotakis. In response to the scandal, Malliotakis issued an official statement, saying she had employed Bifalco as her community affairs director on September 16th but immediately fired him upon learning of the charges. She also said:
"He was involved in local politics and was planning to apply to law school. He was recommended to me by several people. I am shocked and saddened by this news. I have zero tolerance for criminal activity."
It's worth noting that Bifalco is the nephew of former US Rep. Vito Fosella, a well-known Staten Island Republican who represented Congress for over a decade until he stepped down in 2008 after a separate scandal involving an extramarital affair and a secret family. Neither Bifalco nor Fosella have commented on the situation publicly.
The Colombo Mafia Family
The Colombo mafia family (formerly known as the Profaci family) is the youngest of the five "Five Families" that dominate organized crime in New York City. The mafia has been a target of authorities for decades, but recent events reveal that they still hold significant power.
The US Cosa Nostra has long sought to infiltrate pro sports leagues in the US, and this trend continues today. In January, the New York police arrested John Adriello, Marco Minuto, and Brian Levine, all accused of offering illegal bets on amateur and professional football games. In May, Eugene "Boobsie" Castelle, a reputed member of the Luchese family, was tried for illegal bookmaking activities.
Battling Manipulation and Match-Fixing
Given the recent scandal and the legalization of sports betting in the US in May 2018, many professional sports leagues are taking proactive measures against match-fixing and betting manipulation. To achieve this, several agreements have been made with the leading European sports data service providers Sportradar and Genius Sports.
Genius Sports has secured deals with the NBA, the PGA, and Nascar, while Sportradar already works with the NFL and Riot Games. Additionally, an integrity agreement with the LPGA was signed in June. The exact impact of these measures in preventing organized crime from tarnishing the sports betting sector remains to be seen.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
