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22 individuals have so far been indicted as part of "Operation Porterhouse Parlay" with more arrests and charges possible
The 87-page indictment from January 2021 to April 2026 was unsealed revealing James “Jimmy the Greek” Gerodemos as the alleged mastermind
He is linked to two popular restaurants in the Northwest portion of Indiana
The FBI says more arrests could be coming following the take down of a multi-state sports betting business run from the Hammond, Indiana area.
The 87-page, 28-count indictment announced Thursday following a series of raids in the northwest portion of the state alleges that a popular restaurateur ran the business from 2021 through last month. A series of raids were orchestrated throughout a swath of Northwestern Indiana Wednesday morning with the indictment later that day.
James “Jimmy the Greek” Gerodemos of Schererville, Indiana, along with Dean “Dean Gem” Gialamas, are said to have been the masterminds of the operation.
Both men appeared in court Friday morning.
Gerodemos previously served six months in prison back in 2015 after being convicted of dealing explosive materials without a license,. At the time he was found to be in possession of 16,000 pounds of commercial and illegal fireworks.
The City of Hobart granted him a license in 2023 to open a fireworks facility there.
22 individuals have so far been indicted. Many of those named in the indictment were arrested Wednesday and have already had hearings and have been released pending trial.
The other people listed in the indictment are: Chris Gerodemos, Basam “Donny Brasco” Ibrahim, Sanad “Sanad Taka” Ibrahim, Peter “Pete Goodys” Pavlopoulos, Flippo “Gigi” Rovito, Michael “Michael Way Out” Campbell, Ehab “Eddie” Mustafa, Steve Armenta, Samuel Nuzzo, Alexander “Alex Gyros” Gagianas, Gus “Deans Runner” Kaporis, Rami “Rami Straight Flush” Mansour, Nenad “Butch Hunkee” Radoja, Marcus “Vladimir Ganz” Ganz, Paul “Paulie Scarf” Franze, Athena Gerodemos, Elias Gerodemos, James “Jim Macedonian” Strezovski, Andrew “Caesars Andrew” Nguyen and Giuseppe “Joe Polozzo”’ Manzi.
“Through this indictment, the grand jury has alleged that the defendants built an illegal gambling organization that operated both online and in person at two northern Indiana businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “According to the indictment, members of the organization used threats and intimidation to collect on gambling debts. My office bears the burden of proving that the defendants are guilty of these charges, which I am confident we will do. In the meantime, I want to make two points. First, every defendant named in this indictment is entitled to a fair trial by a jury of their peers and is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. And second, like all investigations, this one is continuing. My office will investigate any additional crimes revealed by the evidence and any additional subjects who might have participated in the alleged criminal activity. If you believe that you are a victim of the alleged organization, or if you have any information relevant to it, you are encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
“Illegal gambling operations often fuel broader criminal activity and exploit our communities for profit,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI, in partnership with our law enforcement colleagues, is committed to dismantling these criminal networks and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.”
FBI RAIDS BUSINESSES IN INDY: In a newly unsealed indictment, federal prosecutors allege the owners of two northwest Indiana restaurants used their businesses to run a yearslong, multi-state illegal gambling operation while threatening multiple victims who couldn’t pay off… pic.twitter.com/LRhvodktdQ
— Tre Ward (@TreWardTV) April 30, 2026
“Today marks the culmination of a lengthy, complex and collaborative investigation,” said Indiana Gaming Commission Law Enforcement Superintendent Brock Pilgrim. “The indictments, arrest and search warrants all send a clear message: those who attempt to corrupt the integrity of licensed gaming operations in Indiana will be held accountable.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Indiana Gaming Commission, with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistance U.S. Attorneys Philip Benson and Kevin Wolff.
Gerodemos is linked to two restaurants, including Paragon Restaurant and Gino’s Steakhouse.
Signs posted at both restaurants alerted customers that they were "closed". It's unclear how long they were remain shuttered.
Also among the people who were indicted by a federal grand jury is the owner of a Burr Ridge restaurant. Prosecutors allege he served as a collector and enforcer in this illegal gambling operation.
The indictment goes on to allege that employees of Gino’s and Paragon also facilitated the operation through collection and distribution of revenue with agents, bookies and bettors, ranging from hundreds of dollars to nearly $50,000. According to the indictment, lines of credit were provided so bettors can begin betting immediately. And for those with debt not paid off, prosecutors say the organization threatened them and tracked them down.
The organization’s members used money from losing bettors to pay the winners and the leaders of the Gerodemos Gambling Organization. If a payment couldn’t be made to a winner, the Gerodemos Gambling Organization would cover the payment, according to the indictment.
Members of the gambling operation communicated regularly about how much money a bettor owed (M or minus) and how much it owed to a bettor (P or plus). They also met with their agents, bookies and some bettors in person, inside public buildings or in parking lots, to collect or deliver payments for the sports bets, according to the indictment.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
