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A complaint unsealed in a Newark, New Jersey federal court early Monday morning (July 15, 2013) alleges that long established BetEagle.com out of Costa Rica has ties to organized crime figures residing within the USA.
Thirteen individuals, including one alleged member of the Genovese organized crime family and 12 members and associates of its LaScala Crew, were charged Monday in connection with their involvement running the online gambling enterprise, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Two defendants remain at large.
From the Ocean Signal:
The Genovese Crime Family of La Cosa Nostra operated out of smaller groups, sometimes referred to as “crews,” that operated in northern New Jersey and elsewhere. Each crew was headed by a “captain,” “capo,” or “skipper.” Each captain’s crew consisted of “soldiers” and “associates.” The captain was responsible for supervising the criminal activities of his crew and providing the crew with support and protection. In return, the captain often received a share of the crew’s earnings.
Joseph Lascala, 80, of Monroe, N.J., was a “capo” and a made member of the Genovese Crime Family, directing various criminal activities of a group of associates referred to in the Complaint as the “Lascala Crew.” These activities included the theft of goods and cargo, the receipt of stolen property in interstate commerce, extortion, illegal gambling, and the collection of unlawful debt.
Members and associates of the Lascala Crew and others, together with individuals that own and operate the website Beteagle.com (“Website”), used the Website to profit through the operation of an illegal gambling business that operated in northern New Jersey and elsewhere. High-level associates of the Lascala Crew acted as “agents” of an illegal gamblingbusiness that was operated through the Website. Before the advent of computerized betting, these agents would be referred to as “bookmakers” or “bookies.” Through the use of a username and password, the agents accessed the Website and tracked the bets or wagers placed by their bettors.
BetEagle.com is known primarily as a credit operation that utilizes agents to collect and distribute funds.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
