Boy, they really like to peg NY and NJ lately.
Video here too
http://cbs3.com/local/local_story_087162110.html
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Mar 28, 2007 4:31 pm US/Eastern
Authorities Bust International Betting Ring In N.J
(AP) FREEHOLD, N.J. Authorities smashed an international sports betting ring Wednesday that handled a half billion dollars worth of bets over the past 16 months.
State and local officials from throughout New Jersey arrested 47 people and are seeking 12 others as part of the ring, which used the Internet as well as a network of street-level operatives to take bets on pro and college football and basketball, among other sports.
"We have struck a powerful blow at the organizational level of an illegal gambling organization that has been reaping millions in illegal profits," Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin said.
He identified three ringleaders of the operation as Joseph Pasquale, 50, of Brick Township, Richard Crossan, 48, of Hillsborough in Somerset County, and Ralph Santoro, 52, of Bridgewater. All three were charged with money laundering, conspiracy, racketeering, and promoting gambling.
The three men are being held on $1 million bail and are due to make an initial court appearance on Thursday. It was not immediately clear if the three had hired lawyers.
Valentin said several thousand bettors could make wagers using Internet sites after being given a user name and password by employees of the ring. Others used a toll-free number to contact the operation's "wire room" in Costa Rica, where some of the bets were received.
None of the bettors were charged, Valentin said.
In carrying out raids at 70 locations, authorities seized over $2 million in cash, froze numerous bank accounts, and seized 14 vehicles and a 28-foot yacht owned by Pasquale that was named "Risky Business."
Authorities are also seeking to confiscate a bayfront home that Pasquale and his wife, Carol, owned in Mantoloking worth several million dollars.
Valentin said that between August 2005 and February 2007, bettors placed more than $500 million worth of wagers and lost over $35 million to the ring.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. )
Video here too
http://cbs3.com/local/local_story_087162110.html
--------------------------------------------------------
Mar 28, 2007 4:31 pm US/Eastern
Authorities Bust International Betting Ring In N.J
(AP) FREEHOLD, N.J. Authorities smashed an international sports betting ring Wednesday that handled a half billion dollars worth of bets over the past 16 months.
State and local officials from throughout New Jersey arrested 47 people and are seeking 12 others as part of the ring, which used the Internet as well as a network of street-level operatives to take bets on pro and college football and basketball, among other sports.
"We have struck a powerful blow at the organizational level of an illegal gambling organization that has been reaping millions in illegal profits," Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin said.
He identified three ringleaders of the operation as Joseph Pasquale, 50, of Brick Township, Richard Crossan, 48, of Hillsborough in Somerset County, and Ralph Santoro, 52, of Bridgewater. All three were charged with money laundering, conspiracy, racketeering, and promoting gambling.
The three men are being held on $1 million bail and are due to make an initial court appearance on Thursday. It was not immediately clear if the three had hired lawyers.
Valentin said several thousand bettors could make wagers using Internet sites after being given a user name and password by employees of the ring. Others used a toll-free number to contact the operation's "wire room" in Costa Rica, where some of the bets were received.
None of the bettors were charged, Valentin said.
In carrying out raids at 70 locations, authorities seized over $2 million in cash, froze numerous bank accounts, and seized 14 vehicles and a 28-foot yacht owned by Pasquale that was named "Risky Business."
Authorities are also seeking to confiscate a bayfront home that Pasquale and his wife, Carol, owned in Mantoloking worth several million dollars.
Valentin said that between August 2005 and February 2007, bettors placed more than $500 million worth of wagers and lost over $35 million to the ring.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. )
47 arrested in illegal sports betting ring
Posted by [URL="http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates/about.html"]The Star-Ledger[/URL] March 28, 2007 4:17PM
Authorities today broke up a sophisticated illegal betting operation they said netted $35 million in profits from thousands of bettors wagering on college and professional sports.
Fanning out across New Jersey this morning, more than 300 law enforcement officers arrested 47 alleged members of the operation, including three men considered to be the top principals.
Joseph Pasquale, 51, of Mantoloking, Richard Crossan, 48, of Hillsborough, and Ralph Santoro, 52, of Bridgewater, are accused of being partners in the management of the overall operation.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the New Jersey State Police joined with at least eight other law enforcement agencies and the Internal Revenue Service to shut down what they said was one of the biggest betting operations in the state's history.
Authorities say thousands of people placed 1.6 milion bets worth more than $500 million between August 2005 and February 2007.
Police said they seized $2 million in cash from Pasquale's home and more than $350,000 in a number of other bank accounts tied to the enterprise.
The investigation was dubbed Operation Thunderbird, a name taken from Pasquale's 28-foot Thunderbird yacht called "Risky Business." The yacht was among 14 vehicles seized in the operation, along with Pasquale's bayfront estate, valued at several million dollars.
The three men are being held in Monmouth County jail on $1 million bail.
Contributed by MaryAnn Spoto
Posted by [URL="http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates/about.html"]The Star-Ledger[/URL] March 28, 2007 4:17PM
Authorities today broke up a sophisticated illegal betting operation they said netted $35 million in profits from thousands of bettors wagering on college and professional sports.
Fanning out across New Jersey this morning, more than 300 law enforcement officers arrested 47 alleged members of the operation, including three men considered to be the top principals.
Joseph Pasquale, 51, of Mantoloking, Richard Crossan, 48, of Hillsborough, and Ralph Santoro, 52, of Bridgewater, are accused of being partners in the management of the overall operation.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the New Jersey State Police joined with at least eight other law enforcement agencies and the Internal Revenue Service to shut down what they said was one of the biggest betting operations in the state's history.
Authorities say thousands of people placed 1.6 milion bets worth more than $500 million between August 2005 and February 2007.
Police said they seized $2 million in cash from Pasquale's home and more than $350,000 in a number of other bank accounts tied to the enterprise.
The investigation was dubbed Operation Thunderbird, a name taken from Pasquale's 28-foot Thunderbird yacht called "Risky Business." The yacht was among 14 vehicles seized in the operation, along with Pasquale's bayfront estate, valued at several million dollars.
The three men are being held in Monmouth County jail on $1 million bail.
Contributed by MaryAnn Spoto
