Sports betting ring busted in New Jersey leads to 37 indictments

Police bust last year of one of the biggest illegal sports betting rings in the state's history leads to 37 people being indicted.

Sports betting ring busted in New Jersey leads to 37 indictments New Jersey authorities broke one of the biggest illegal sports betting operations in the state last March and as reported by the Star-Ledger - now the indictments are following. A grand jury in Monmouth County indicted 37 people yesterday on various chargers related to running and participating in a sports betting operation within the state, stemming from a police action dubbed Operation Thunderbird. Charges of racketeering conspiracy, money laundering, promoting gambling and forgery were brought against Carl "Basil" Palo III, 52, of Holmdel; Joseph Pasquale, 51, and his wife Carol Pasquale, 57, of Brick; Richard Crossan, 49, of Hillsborough; and Ralph Santoro, 53, of Bridgewater. The defendants also include Michael Pesin, 59, of Costa Rica; Thomas Floriani, 62, of Beach Haven; and Floriani's son Joseph Floriani, 35, of Manhattan, the paper reports.

A former mayor of Jersey City, Raul "Rudy" Garcia, who now works for an influential lobbying firm, was cleared by the grand jury, after he insisted that he simply places sports bets from time to time, but had nothing to do with the illegal sports betting organization. Christopher Burris, 34, of Bayville was also cleared of all charges. Total of 47 people were round up during the sports betting bust last year, but charges were brought against only 39 of them.

Published on 02/05/2008