TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal
Justice Director Deborah Gramiccioni announced
today that nine men have pleaded guilty
for their roles in a multi-million dollar
sports bookmaking ring that operated inside
the Borgata Hotel Casino poker room.
According
to Director Gramiccioni, the Division of
Criminal Justice Major Crimes Bureau –
Casino Prosecution Unit obtained guilty
pleas on Friday (Dec. 19) from Ian Blackman,
29, of Mays Landing, Douglas Rubino, 31,
of Philadelphia, and John Findaly, 32, also
of Philadelphia. The defendants pleaded
guilty before Superior Court Judge Michael
Donio in Atlantic County to third-degree
promoting gambling.
On
Thursday, Dec. 18, Bernard Malseed, 65,
of Philadelphia, Dominick Grande, 29, of
Philadelphia, Russell Brown, 45, of Egg
Harbor, William DePena, 40, of Philadelphia,
Joseph Baldino, Jr., 24, of Philadelphia,
and Frank Baldino, 22, Joseph’s brother,
of Philadelphia, also pleaded guilty before
Judge Donio to third-degree promoting gambling.
The
sports betting ring was shut down in November
2007 when more than 20 people were arrested.
The arrests were made as part of a New Jersey
State Police and Division of Criminal Justice
investigation dubbed “Operation High
Roller.” Deputy Attorney General Kerry
DiJoseph took the pleas for the Division
of Criminal Justice Major Crimes Bureau
– Casino Prosecution Unit.
In
pleading guilty, the defendants admitted
that between March 2006 and November 2007,
they acted as agents for the gambling ring
which took in millions of dollars in bets
on college and professional football and
basketball games. The agents admitted that
they brought people into the ring, accepted
bets and settled up with bettors, either
by accepting payment on losses or paying
out winners. Some losers were forced to
accept loans to cover their losses at an
annual interest rate exceeding 50 percent,
in violations of New Jersey’s criminal
usury statute.
Earlier
last week, Jack Buscemi Jr., 51, of Mullica
Hill, and Andrew Micali, 33, of Ventnor
pleaded guilty before Judge Donio to their
roles in the ring. The investigation revealed
that Buscemi was the boss and Micali controlled
day-to-day operations of the ring, which
illegally took in more than $60 million
in bets in 20 months. Buscemi and Micali
were indicted on April 10, along with 22
other defendants, including the nine who
pleaded on Thursday and Friday.
Judge
Donio scheduled the defendants’ sentencings
for February. As part of the plea agreements,
the state will recommend a probationary
term, conditioned on 364 days in county
jail, for each of the agents. The state
will recommend five years in state prison
for Buscemi and Micali.
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