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HAMMOND, Ind (Gambling911.com) - Some of the defendants in a high profile expansive sports gambling case out of Hammond, Indiana have been compared to characters from the HBO hit series The Sopranos. The lead defense attorney says the men and woman charged are "not the Sopranos".
Nothing to see here?
“They (the prosecutors) want to present this as if it's a mafia case. But it's not,” said Chicago criminal defense attorney Beau Brindley who represents one of the 22 defendants, James “Jimmy the Greek” Gerodemos.
Federal prosecutors say otherwise. They claim to have amassed such a large collection of evidence that needs to be processed, duplicated and shared among 22 defense teams that the case feels like it could run as long as The Sopranos television show did. That HBO series ran for six seasons.
An 87-page indictment announced back in May alleges the defendants were involved in an extensive illegal sports betting ring that stretched from New York to Los Angeles and Puerto Rico, allegedly using threats and intimidation to maintain control of the operation. Agents called their own operation "Operation Porterhouse Parlay" as a result of the ties to a steakhouse owned by the ringleader, who they claim to be Gerodemos.
Federal investigators say payouts were made out of two restaurants owned by Gerodemos, including the steakhouse and a popular Italian restaurant.
It's easy to understand The Sopranos references.
Court filings claim that bookie Alexander Gagianis volunteered to become an enforcer for the group.
Lingo between Gagianis and the group's alleged ringleader included the offer to "paint houses", which is a direct quote from the 2019 Netflix movie, "The Irishman" with "paint houses" a reference to killing people.
Then there was Michael Campbell (pictured above), described himself as a "bettor, bookie, line pool seller, money runner/collector and enforcer".
A month prior to being implicated in the gambling case, prosecutors accused Campbell of exhibiting “erratic behavior,” specifically when chasing an undercover agent on April 9 in his car for about an hour, at speeds in excess of 100 mph, on Interstate 65 from Northwest Indiana to Lafayette. Campbell was driving a truck owned by his local labor union at the time, federal authorities allege.
Defendant Filippo “Gigi” Rovito was one of the first defendants released. He posted a $1 million bond and prosecutors did not oppose him having more extensive freedoms during a Thursday court hearing. Rovito was previously only allowed out of his home to go to work in his restaurant and attend church services.
"He and his wife are active members of Our Lady of Pompeii Church, where he was named Man of the Year," the filing said.
In one of the more bizarre twists, after Rovito made the claim he had been honored with the "Man of the Year" award by that church in Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood, The shrine disputed the claim, saying it does not even have a "Man of the Year" award. They also asserted that Rovito was not even a member of the church.
An official of the parish told NBC 5 Investigates back in May that Rovito's church involvement amounted to writing an annual check, and that it's laughable he claims to be a weekly parishioner because "he never comes to church. He's never seen in church."
Despite Rovito being linked to the Chicago mob by prosecutors in a previous case and having served a six-year prison sentence in a heroin and sex-assault related case as a teenager, a judge in Indiana decided the restaurateur could now have more daily freedom from his home confinement to go about daily affairs. He will wear an electronic monitor and must remain home between the hours of midnight and 7 a.m.
At least three law enforcement officers were alleged to have been on the take from the enterprise, though none were charged.
An NBC Chicago investigative report even suggested that drug cartels had ties to ring.
FBI agents say money was also being borrowed from a drug cartel. All of the revelations are putting the stars in alignment for additional federal charges soon. As we first reported last week, even defense attorneys expect racketeering charges, under what is known as the RICO Act, charges that usually carry double-digit prison sentences.
As of today (September 11, 2026), only the alleged ringleader, Gerodemos, remains behind bars. He's asking for home confinement but prosecutors expressed concerns in court on behalf of the victims and witnesses who fear they may be subject to threats.
Attorneys say so much evidence was collected during round ups last spring, and from lengthy undercover operations preceding the raids, that the next court date is more than nine months away on June 16th of next year.
The government says it will take that long to compile 15 terabytes of evidence. For context, that is enough storage space for 1.2 billion pages, 3.75 million photos and 5,000 hours of video.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
