Borgata PR sports betting charges being brought

[Bishop22]

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Wow. These guys screwed up over and over. How in the hell can Fish go to the cage multiple times without eventually raising a red flag?

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I think the Borgata could definitely be charged/fined, they were negligent at the least, however they cooperated fully and cracked down on the chip exchanges when prompted so they will probably get a pass. Everyone there knows Fish and everyone knows he rarely plays above 1-2..heard he had a pretty big gambling problem on the floor though so maybe that made it easier to pass checks..if anything he is the one to feel bad for, he was more or less making an honest living and took a lot of abuse for it, not even sure he knew what he was doing.

[hammer33]

no surprises here other than how widespread and how many names are implicated. of the names mentioned, i know vinny the best from playing with him countless times..definitely moans a bit on bad beats but i found him to be a friendly guy that makes good use of table talk..i like the guy. he is also the master negotiater when it comes to chop conversations..he's been known to whip out the calculator on chops..guess he was using the calculator to calculate vigs as well. lol.

[Mr. AtlanticCity]

Today's article from the Press of Atlantic City:

Atlantic City bet-ring arrests won't be the last, official says
By MICHAEL CLARK Staff Writer, 609-272-7204
Published: Friday, November 16, 2007
More people face arrests in the ongoing investigation of a $22 million illegal sports-gambling ring operated in a poker room at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, a local law-enforcement official said Thursday.
Local female police officers were sent to Ventnor on Wednesday to assist State Police with searching female suspects involved in the illegal operation, and there are "still some pending arrests," the official said.

No female suspects were listed among the 23 people charged Wednesday when State Police broke up the illegal sports book, allegedly led by four men with ties to the Philadelphia mob and including six casino employees.

Peter Aseltine, spokesman for Attorney General Anne Milgram, would not comment on any pending arrests. But State Police Lt. Col. Thomas Gilbert said during a news conference that Wednesday's arrests were "more the start of this investigation than the end of it."

All five men arrested in the sting posted bail and were released by Thursday night, authorities said. Andrew Micali, the alleged leader of the operation, was released on $100,000 bail. The four others arrested - Vincent Procopio, Anthony Nicodemo, Michael Lancellotti and Joseph Wishnick - were all released on $50,000 bail. Eighteen others were issued summonses.



Aseltine said the suspects' first appearance in court has not yet been scheduled.
A complex operation that lasted at least 20 months and brought in more than $22 million, the illegal sports book Micali ran had several different employees contributing to its success, including poker room supervisors, dealers and even a Borgata bartender, Milgram said. Authorities have remained vague on the specific details of how the operation worked, but the past poker experience of Micali and Procopio may have aided it.

Both men participated in major poker tournaments like the World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker in the past year.

Micali was one of hundreds of players in the 38th annual World Series of Poker held at the Rio Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas in July, according to the tournament's Web site. He and Procopio also have both been listed as players at several different casinos while participating in the World Poker Tour. The Borgata was one of the many casinos that hosted the tour in January, casino officials said.

Procopio has been listed as a player in several other poker tournaments in published reports and on the Internet, including placing eighth at the Los Angeles Poker Classic at the Commerce Casino in March, collecting $151,870 in winnings.

Jack M. Buscemi Jr., 50, of Mullica Hill, also is listed on several poker Web sites and tournament listings and won $2,025 at the Borgata Poker Open in 2005. Buscemi has been described by authorities as Micali's "partner" and allegedly received a percentage of the gambling proceeds collected by Micali's network of agents.

While some law-enforcement officials have alleged that Micali and Procopio have ties to the Philadelphia mob, Lancellotti and Nicodemo have a more detailed public history with organized crime.

According to published reports, Lancellotti, better known as "Mikey Lance," was identified as a suspect in two mob murders during the 2001 trial of Philadelphia-southern New Jersey mob boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, who is currently serving a federal prison term. Lancellotti has denied the allegations and has never been charged.

Nicodemo has been described as a former bodyguard for Merlino. According to news reports, the 36-year-old began a feud between Philadelphia mobsters and the Pagans, an outlaw motorcycle gang, at a Philadelphia sports bar in 1995.

Philadelphia native William DePena, 39, who was issued a summons Wednesday for conspiracy to promote gambling, also is a reported mob associate and friend of Nicodemo.

Milgram has refused to discuss any of the suspects' connections to organized crime in Philadelphia, except to say: "Any allegation that the mob would be involved in Atlantic City we take very seriously."

Along with the several state law-enforcement agencies involved in the investigation, several local police departments have been credited by the Attorney General's Office for their assistance. Those include departments in Margate, Ventnor, Galloway Township, Egg Harbor Township, Sea Isle City and Brigantine.

Brigantine Police Chief Art Gordy said his department assigned officers and detectives to help State Police with surveillance and any other parts of the investigation where they were needed, since some of the targets live in the town, including Procopio.

"It's always good to be able to work with them. It gets our guys involved with something we wouldn't normally be involved in, a gambling ring or empire," Gordy said. "Our people learn a lot from it. … Some (police) can go a whole career and never get involved in a case like that. Plus you get to know who the players are in your town."

The Associated Press and staff writer Martin DeAngelis contributed to this report.

[magoo]

Vid with a couple of "perp" pics.

http://video.wnbc.com/player/?id=184371

[Mr. AtlanticCity]

I wonder what would happen if I go up to the Borgata Poker Room manager next week and tell him:

"What's the line on the Patriots/Eagles? I want a dime on the Patriots. Can you take my action?"

[nineinchal]

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I wonder what would happen if I go up to the Borgata Poker Room manager next week and tell him:

"What's the line on the Patriots/Eagles? I want a dime on the Patriots. Can you take my action?"

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I'm going to be busting Steve's and Julio's balls with that line for a decade...

[*TT*]

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I wonder what would happen if I go up to the Borgata Poker Room manager next week and tell him:

"What's the line on the Patriots/Eagles? I want a dime on the Patriots. Can you take my action?"

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you will probably be escorted off the property, its their job at risk - they wont be taking any crap I assume.

[nineinchal]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I wonder what would happen if I go up to the Borgata Poker Room manager next week and tell him:

"What's the line on the Patriots/Eagles? I want a dime on the Patriots. Can you take my action?"

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you will probably be escorted off the property, its their job at risk - they wont be taking any crap I assume.

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Howzbout "Where's the sports book in this place?"

[sirlurkalot]

Is Fish the guy who is always carrying bags of take out food into the high limit room?

[SellingtheDrama]

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Is Fish the guy who is always carrying bags of take out food into the high limit room?

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yup