Major New Jersey Gambling Bust Involving 46 People, 32 Towns

A swim instructor, a teacher and six restaurant owners were nabbed in a major gambling bust involving 46 people in 32 New Jersey towns (see list below).

Approximately $2 million was seized in a large-scale, multistate criminal enterprise involving illegal money laundering, gambling and racketeering, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal has announced.

The investigation revealed that Robert "Elvis" D'Alessio of Totowa was operating an illegal money laundering, gambling and racketeering enterprise across the state, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.

The investigation also revealed that the enterprise employed a hierarchical structure that included more than 50 gambling “package holders” or “agents” who oversaw a total of approximately 320 bettors, according to the BCPO.

A “package holder” is an individual who oversees individual bettors and collects money from gambling losses and pays out winnings, depending on the outcome of the bettor’s gambling activities. These “package holders” managed 22 different gambling accounts, according to the BCPO.

D'Alessio ran the operation with the help of an off-shore “wire room” located in Costa Rica, authorities say. The investigation revealed that the off-shore “wire room” utilized various 1-800 numbers and a website that package holders, agents and bettors could call, according to the BCPO.

The package holders, agents and bettors would use the website and telephone numbers to check on their “packages” or to place bets, the investigation revealed. The entire gambling operation is estimated to have processed tens of millions of dollars in wagers per year.

Here is the list of people charged, their hometowns and their charges:

• ROBERT D’ALESSIO, 62, Little Falls; unemployed; promoting gambling, money laundering; conspiracy to promote gambling
• JEFFREY BADAAN, 33, Wayne; liquor store clerk; promoting gambling, conspiracy to Promote gambling
• JAMES MIELE, 52, Bridgewater; unknown employment; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• ERIC OROZCO, 39, Paterson; unemployed; promoting gambling, conspiracy to promote gambling
• LOUIS SEMINERIO, 69, Elmwood Park; retired; promoting gambling, conspiracy to promote gambling
• CASEY PASSMORE, 35, Boonton; unemployed; romoting gambling, conspiracy to promote gambling
• ROBERT BEATTY, 40, Wayne; restaurant owner; racketeering, promoting gambling, conspiracy to promote gambling
• JOSEPH LOFORESE, 30, Little Falls; unknown employment; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• FATMIR SALAJ, 45, Matawan; unknown unemployment; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• ALFONC PILINCI, 59, Franklin Lakes, restaurant owner; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• LULZIM “LUIGI” CANA; 39, Dover; restaurant owner; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• GEZIM PILINCI, 30, Franklin Lakes; unkown employment; obstruction of justice
• THOMAS D’ALESSIO JR., 66, Hackettstown; retired; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• IMER DRAGA, A/K/A MICHAEL DOLCE, 47, Staten Island, N.Y.; restaurant owner; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• JOSEPH D’ALESSIO, 55, Wyckoff; teacher; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• ANTHONY MAGNANI, 43, Harrison; bar owner; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• ESTEBAN “STEVE” CUELI, 56, Doral, Fla.; unemployed; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling, conspiracy to commit money laundering
• COREY ARRAJJ, 31, Wyckoff; salesman; promoting gambling; conspiracy
• JOSEPH GRELLO, 51, Newton; self-employed; promoting gambling; conspiracy
• RON KOCERHA, 47, Secaucus; restaurant owner; promoting gambling; conspiracy
• GREGORY FARACE, 51, Pequannock; unemployed; promoting gambling; conspiracy
• RALPH GAMBA, 60, Livingston; retired; promoting gambling; conspiracy
• WILLIAM RZUCIDLO, 23, Parsippany; unknown employment; promoting gambling; conspiracy
• MARTIN FLANAGAN, 72, Morristown; retired; promoting gambling; conspiracy
• BRYAN RUSSO, 41, Verona; self-employed; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• RONNIE FOX, 57, Woodland Park; swim instructor; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• DULO BOLIJEVIC, 43, Dover; restaurant owner; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• EDWARD “BUZZ” KELLY, 48, Bronx, N.Y.; unemployed; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• VICTOR ROMANO, 37, Staten Island, N.Y.; unknown employment; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• WILLIAM GUIDO, 67, Waretown; self-employed; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• KENNETH PABON, 62, Staten Island, N.Y.; retired; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• JOHN SCHWARTZ, 52, Secaucus; facilities director; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• KEVIN O’LEARY, 24, Secaucus; student; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• CHARLES STEINBERG, 40, Coral Springs, Fla.; unemployed; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• DANTE MONACO, 53, Hackettstown; unemployed; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling, racketeering
• JOSEPH FARRUGGIA, 28, Mount Arlington, unknown employment; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• DANTE MONACO JR., 20, Hackettstown; unemployed; conspiracy to promote gambling
• JAMES MANGANIELLO, 56, Totowa; unknown employment; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• ENRIQUE LARACH, 54, Miami, Fla.; self-employed; conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering
• STEPHEN GERISCH, 71, Boonton; retired; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• SADIK “SAL” KOLIC, 56, Randolph; restaurant worker; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• NEIL ESKOW, 43, Fair Lawn; unemployed; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• PALMA PAKULNIEWICZ, 70, Secaucus; retired; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• JARED PETRUSKA, 30, Wayne; construction worker; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling
• PAUL JON SILJEE, 26, Wayne; unknown employment; promoting gambling; conspiracy to promote gambling

The investigation also revealed that D’alessio's former brother-in-law, Cueli, played a key role in the enterprise. In addition to managing several “packages” relating to the bookmaking operation in and around the South Florida region, Cueli is charged with conspiring with D’Alessio to launder the proceeds of the illegal gambling operation, according to the BCPO.

Beatty, Pilinci and Monaco were also identified and charged for their roles as alleged managers within the enterprise.

D’Alessio, Beatty, Monaco, Pilinci and Farace were lodged in the Bergen County Jail. Those arrested out-of-state have been lodged pending extradition to New Jersey, and all others were released on their own recognizance, according to the BCPO.