The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office on Thursday busted a $13.2 million Web-based sports-gambling operation that officials say was run by a Lucchese crime-family soldier.
Reputed mobster Eugene “Boopsie” Castelle and a five-man crew allegedly took in wagers on pro and collegiate sporting events from around the world while wiring payments to an off-shore location.
The suspects were hit with a 37-count indictment Thursday before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. They are charged with enterprise corruption, promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy.
Castelle, 56, of Staten Island, received extra cash in exchange for providing protection from rivals, authorities alleged.
Day-to-day management of the gambling ring was overseen by Anthony Grecco, 62, of Queens, who is also charged with three counts of criminal usury for running a loan-sharking operation.
He faces up to 15 years in prison on each count, in addition to the 25 years in prison faced by his cohorts.
The others — Gaetano Zuccarello, Theodore Vasilakis, Ioannis Dinos, Vincent Mormile — acted as “agents,” cultivating relationships with gamblers, keeping track of their bets and reporting to Grecco, authorities said.
“These defendants are charged with running a lucrative gambling ring that took in millions of dollars in bets and stretched all the way to Costa Rica,” said DA Ken Thompson.
The defendants face 25 years in prison if convicted.