Report: Donald Trump Wins Nearly $1 Million in Coin Toss Concerning Trump Plaza Casino Transaction
Before Donald Trump ran for president, he made a significant portion of his wealth in Atlantic City by creating several casino resorts. Although Trump no longer owns a casino since 2014, a recently released book claims to provide insights into his relationships with the Mafia in the 1980s and '90s.
In his new biography titled "The Life We Chose: William 'Big Billy' D'Elia and The Last Secrets of America's Most Powerful Mafia Family," former head of the Bufalino crime family, Billy D'Elia, tells anecdotes about the infamous real estate magnate who established Trump Plaza, Trump Castle/Trump Marina, and Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.
D'Elia had taken charge of the Bufalino crime family after Russell Bufalino's passing in 1994. Following his stint as the crime boss, he was imprisoned for money laundering and witness tampering. His sentence lasted five years until he was released in 2013. Afterwards, he casually retired, relishing a quiet life since leading the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family, whose members were ultimately convicted of racketeering, counterfeiting, illegal gambling, and murder.
D'Elia's sentence ended prematurely after he agreed to appear before a grand jury in Pennsylvania. The grand jury convicted Mount Airy Casino Resort's owner, Louis DeNaples, of perjury, for providing false statements to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board during his pursuit of an official casino license.
Trump's Mob Connections
D'Elia reportedly shared that the Bufalino crime family had business connections with Donald Trump when he frequented Atlantic City as a casino mogul. In one instance, the former mob boss narrated a story about two local entrepreneurs, Ken and Barry Shapiro, agreeing to sell land adjacent to Trump Plaza to Trump for $8 million.
Per D'Elia's recollection, Trump claimed he only had $7 million for the deal. Trump purportedly said he couldn't give the $8 million and proposed flipping a coin for the additional million. They flipped the coin, and Trump won.
Barry Shapiro substantiated D'Elia's version of events to FOX News. Shapiro confirmed that Trump paid the $7 million over 15 years through a loan.
Trump's campaign representative, Steven Cheung, rebutted the tale, emphasizing that the former president will not be respondeing to "a book that belongs in the bargain bin at the fiction section."
D'Elia found Trump's character inconsiderable, denouncing him due to his reputed inability to uphold commitments.
"He's just like he portrays on television. Arrogant," D'Elia concluded.
Sleazy Company
Trump also made news in January after posing for a photograph with former Philadelphia mob boss Joey Merlino at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Mertlino spent over a decade in various prisons, convicted of interstate theft, conspiracy, racketeering, and illegal gambling.
A spokesperson for Trump said the president was unaware of Merlino's background and obliged to a request for a photo. In the image, Merlino and Trump both displayed the thumbs-up gesture.
Merlino has been prohibited from entering all Atlantic City casinos since the 1980s when he was placed on New Jersey's blacklist. Additionally, he's banned from all Pennsylvania casinos.
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Source: www.casino.org
