TRENTON – Attorney General
Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director
Deborah L. Gramiccioni announced that a Philadelphia
man pleaded guilty today to promoting gambling
for helping to run a sports bookmaking ring
that operated inside the Borgata Hotel Casino
poker room.
According to Director Gramiccioni,
Vincent Procopio, 42, of Philadelphia, pleaded
guilty today to promoting gambling before
Superior Court Judge Michael A. Donio in Atlantic
County. Under the plea agreement, the state
will recommend that Procopio be sentenced
to 364 days in the county jail as a condition
of a term of probation. He also must forfeit
$20,000. His sentencing is scheduled for April
24.
Procopio was charged as a
result of Operation High Roller, an investigation
led by the State Police and the Division of
Criminal Justice which involved the assistance
of 11 other law enforcement agencies in New
Jersey and Pennsylvania. Deputy Attorney General
Kerry DiJoseph took the plea for the Division
of Criminal Justice Major Crimes Bureau -
Casino Prosecutions Unit.
On Dec. 15, the boss of the
ring, Jack Buscemi Jr., 51, of Mullica Hill,
pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy
to commit money laundering, and the man who
controlled day-to-day operations of the ring,
Andrew Micali, 33, of Ventnor, pleaded guilty
to second-degree criminal usury. Buscemi and
Micali each face five years in prison under
their plea agreements. They are scheduled
to be sentenced on Feb. 27.
The investigation revealed
that Procopio acted as a top assistant to
Micali in operating the ring, which took in
more than $60 million in bets in 20 months.
The ring was shut down in November 2007, when
more than 20 people were arrested. Buscemi,
Micali and Procopio were indicted on April
10, along with 21 additional defendants. Fifteen
other defendants have pleaded guilty to promoting
gambling or other charges. Two have been sentenced,
and 13 are awaiting sentence.
The investigation, which began
in March 2006, revealed that Micali relied
on a network of agents to take in millions
of dollars in bets on college and professional
football and basketball. Micali, and Buscemi
received a percentage of the gambling proceeds
collected by the agents.
#
# # |