Wall Man Gets 21-Month Sentence For Online Betting Ring Role

A Wall Township man has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced Wednesday.

Michael O’Donnell, 51, was sentenced in federal court in Newark by U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi. He had previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO, statute by participating in the activities of Beteagle, an overseas Website that facilitated online sports betting. Cecchi imposed the sentence.

According to documents filed in this and other cases and statements made in court, Joseph Graziano, 78, of Springfield, was the principal owner of Beteagle.com, a website located in Costa Rica and used to facilitate illegal online sports betting. Dominick Barone, 45, of Springfield, worked with Graziano in carrying out the daily activities of the website.

Both men conspired with the Genovese Crime Family of La Cosa Nostra in the operation of Beteagle. Graziano and Barone pleaded guilty on July 29, 2014, to their roles in the racketeering conspiracy, each admitting that they were associates of the Genovese Crime Family.

Beteagle, through the individuals that owned, operated, and controlled it, was a “criminal enterprise” that operated in interstate and foreign commerce.

O’Donnell was given access to Beteagle and was considered an “agent” of the website. Before the advent of computerized betting, these agents would have been referred to as “bookmakers” or “bookies.” The agents had the ability to track the “sub-agents,” under them and the wagers placed by their bettors. The agent or sub-agent maintained a group of bettors (the “package”) and were responsible for those bettors.

O’Donnell was an agent who assisted in the illegal gambling business conducted through the website. To place bets online, the agent or sub-agent issued the bettor a username and password to access Beteagle. This access was not given online and no money or credits were made or transferred through the website. O’Donnell and his conspirators paid out winnings or collected losses in person. The agent or sub-agent paid a fee to the website for each bettor added to a package. O’Donnell collected money from bettors and then passed a portion of the proceeds to Barone in furtherance of the racketeering scheme.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi ordered O’Donnell to serve three years of supervised release and pay a $5,000 fine.

Graziano has pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and is currently scheduled for sentencing on June 25. Barone was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.