17 Suspected Gambino Mobsters Charged in Major Gambling Scheme
The New York State Attorney General’s Office has unsealed an indictment accusing 17 individuals of running illegal gambling and loansharking operations linked to the Gambino crime family.
17 Mafia members charged in connection with illegal gambling scheme.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The indictment outlines a sports gambling operation that received over $22.7 million in illegal bets and a loansharking operation that secured about $500,000 in high-interest loans. Charges include enterprise corruption, criminal usury, and promoting gambling, totaling 84 counts.
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Among those arrested are alleged Gambino soldiers John Laforte, Anthony Cinque, Jr., John Matera, and alleged associates Edward LaForte, Frederick Falcone, Sr., Giulio Pomponio, and Daniel Bogan. In addition, John LaForte and three others face charges related to a separate mortgage fraud scheme involving a $600,000 New Jersey home.
Illegal gambling and loansharking are long-standing tools in the mob’s arsenal. While organized crime persists in New York, today’s actions dismantle a significant segment of the Gambino family’s operations. These enterprises exploited New Yorkers, forcing many into precarious financial situations.
This indictment is the latest in a series of busts targeting the Gambino crime family, one of America’s most infamous criminal organizations. Last November, ten members and associates faced charges related to the Gambinos’ attempts to dominate the carting and demolition industries in New York City.
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Investigative Techniques and Findings
The investigation utilized wiretaps, covert video surveillance, search warrants on an offshore gambling site, and residential searches. Most loansharking and gambling activities occurred at Staten Island’s Eltingville and Greenridge Shopping Centers.
Edward LaForte allegedly managed the gambling website, which handled $22.7 million in bets from over 70 bettors between September 2022 and March 2023. LaForte and several co-defendants, known as “sheetholders” managed these bets and collections. According to the indictment, gamblers who fell into debt were offered high-interest loans, further profiting the criminal enterprise.
Amy McLaughlin is also implicated in organizing the gambling ring, maintaining records, and managing proceeds. John LaForte played a supervisory role and, along with Anthony Cinque, Jr., helped fund the operation.
Prosecutors allege that proceeds from these operations were sometimes left at Frank and Danny’s Pizzeria in the Eltingville Shopping Center, owned by Daniel Bogan. Recorded conversations reveal Edward LaForte referencing stops at the pizzeria to drop off proceeds.
Additionally, Edward LaForte and former NYPD member Frederick Falcone acted as loan sharks, maintaining detailed ledgers of victims and their loans. Meetings with victims occurred at various locations, including shopping centers, restaurants, and residences. Authorization for loans often came from John LaForte and Cinque.
Tackling the Gambino Crime Family
The Gambino family is one of New York’s “Five Families,” including the Bonanno, Colombo, Genovese, and Lucchese families, collectively known as “the Mafia”, “the Mob,” or “La Cosa Nostra”. The Gambino family, named after Carlo Gambino, has a long history of organized crime dominance. Despite significant federal prosecutions, they continue operations in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
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