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Marco Minuto, 60, originally was taken into custody in Bergen County last month on money laundering charges. A judge ordered him released hours later under New Jersey’s 2017 bail reform law.
Authorities raided his home, as well as those of his alleged associates, as part of a takedown that authorities said was years in the making.
The organized ring led by Minuto and his two co-defendants -- John Andriello, 65, of Pearl River, and 48-year-old Brian Levine of Garnerville – collected millions in bets on pro and college football games, acting Rockland County District Attorney Kevin Gilleece said.
Minuto and Andriello handled the day-to-day operations – from reviewing debts and payouts to supervising crews to collections, the DA said.
“These arrests close down a highly lucrative gambling operation that benefitted organized crime with large amounts of money every year,” Gillecee said.
“Make no mistake,” he added. “Illegal sports betting is by no means a victimless crime. Its proceeds underwrite more insidious forms of corruption, such as racketeering, drug trafficking and loan sharking.”
The investigation began a few years ago with a tip, Gilleece said.
Before long, his office’s Special Investigations Unit had teamed up with New York State Police, the FBI, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office and local police in Clarkstown, Orangetown, Piermont and Spring Valley.
Police, detectives and agents used surveillance, wiretaps and other measures to crack the case, the DA said.
Minuto and his co-defendants were released pending a March 12 court appearance on charges of enterprise corruption and promoting gambling.
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