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75-year-old "Uncle Patsy," aka Pat Pirozzi, and 49-year-old John Breheney, better known as "Johnny Fugazi" or "Fu", were sentenced Tuesday for their role in what New Jersey authorities called a “sophisticated, mob-backed Internet gambling scheme based out of Costa Rica”. A third individual has pleaded guilty to conspiracy.
The three men were among 13 arrested in May 2012. All are said to have ties to the Genovese crime family. The group utilized the long-established offshore sportsbook Beteagle.com, principally owned by Joseph Graziano, 77, of Springfield, according to the indictment.
"You’re in the wrong business now, you know?" Graziano remarked on one surveillance recording included in the original criminal complaint. "You should be in the sports business. ... They’re gonna build it up to, like, (expletive) no end."
Breheney was also head on one of the surveillance tapes discussing a client who owed money.
"There’s no escape routes here," he said, according to the 2012 criminal complaint. "The only thing you can do is pay the money. ... These are gangsters."
Graziano and seven other men have already plead guilty for their role in the operation.
"While traditional organized crime has been severely diminished by law enforcement efforts, there are still pockets of activity to be rooted out," said U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman. "In just the past week, nine defendants have either pleaded guilty or been sentenced in this scheme, which married new technology to an old school, illegal sports gambling operation. Whether you track the bets with a notebook and pencil or a smartphone and laptop, bookmaking is still illegal."
Breheney was sentenced to 38 months in prison and a $16,000 fine and forfeited $400,000. He had pleaded guilty last October to racketeering conspiracy by participating in the activities of the Genovese crime family, and tax evasion.
Pirozzi was sentenced to 22 months in prison.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
