More Kansas Sportsbetting Charges

3/11/10 - The Kansas City grand jury probe into online sportsbetting activities has generated more prosecutions, reports the Kansas City Star, revealing that a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday charged four men and two companies with running an illegal gambling business that attracted about $3.6 million in bets over three years.
 
Gerlarmo Cammisano (56) James J. Moretina (60) James L. Dicapo (57) and Michael J. Lombardo (54) each were arrested and charged with violations of federal gambling laws in the 23-count indictment in Kansas City.
 
Two companies, Phoenix International Teleport Satellite Services of Chandler, Arizona and Elite Sports, a company in San Jose, Costa Rica, were charged with participating in a prohibited illegal gambling business.
 
The latest charges follow guilty pleas by six other suspects  in recent weeks.
 
The Kansas City Star reports that Cammisano allegedly was the master agent, under which the three others and other bookmaking agents allegedly operated from March 1, 2006, to April 1, 2009. Bettors, mostly from Kansas City, allegedly wagered about $3.58 million during that period, with bookmakers getting a cut of the winnings at the end of each sports season, the indictment said.
 
The betting ring operated through a toll-free number, two Web sites and Internet servers based in Costa Rica. Cash was paid out or collected in person, typically on a weekly basis, the indictment claimed.
 
Elite Sports processed and tracked bettors’ activities on a server in Costa Rica, charging a price-per-head fee for managing the accounts, the indictment said. Phoenix International provided the toll-free numbers.
 
The indictment charged each defendant with one count of aiding and abetting one another to operate an illegal gambling business. Cammisano is charged with six counts of using the Internet to transmit information to help place bets about sporting events.
 
Moretina is charged with six counts of using a telephone to help with such bets; the other two are charged with five counts each.
 
The indictment includes a forfeiture provision, the Kansas City Star reports, which means the defendants would have to give the government any proceeds they gained from the alleged illegal acts, including the more than $3.58 million in gross wagers.
 
Cammisano would have to give the government $196 677, two laptops seized from his home on March 31, three pieces of real estate and two businesses. Dicapo would have to forfeit his residential property, Moretina would give up his interest in Be Amused Vending & Amusement Co. and Lombardo would give the government his interest in Advanced Mudjacking LLC.
 
Phoenix International would give up all equipment used to transmit calls or Internet traffic to Costa Rica, including computers, servers, satellite dishes and other equipment.