Five men with ties to the Luchese crime family have entered guilty pleas to charges including racketeering, money laundering, and conducting illegal gambling operations, announced the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. The group operated a substantial online gambling business dubbed "Rhino Sports," which, since the early 2000s, has been a source of millions in illicit profits and was run under the organized crime family's umbrella. The guilty pleas were secured over a series of court dates, with the latest involving Anthony Villani, a soldier in the Luchese family, according to an official press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Villani, who has been indicted to be involved in gambling operations for over 25 years, admitted to charges that could lead to up to 20 years behind bars. As part of his plea, he is set to forfeit $4 million, with his co-defendants collectively agreeing to pay approximately an additional $1 million. "These guilty pleas represent a victory for the rule of law over the pernicious activities of organized crime that undermine the safety of our communities," commented United States Attorney John J. Durham in a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office. The prosecution, however, is determined to not let their attention to falter in the ongoing fight against organized crime.
The "Rhino Sports" gambling business was hosted on servers located in Costa Rica and employed local bookmakers to manage the influx of bets, which reportedly ranged from 400 to 1,300 bettors a week. Villani's network of bookmakers included members and associates of various La Cosa Nostra families. Additional defendants in the case, such as Louis Tucci, Jr., Dennis Filizzola, James Coumoutsos, and Michael Praino, have also pleaded guilty to similar charges related to the illegal gambling operation, with varying potential sentences. A sixth defendant reportedly remains at large.
Assistant United States Attorneys Antoinette N. Rangel and Claire S. Kedeshian led the charge in the prosecution and forfeiture matters for the government, respectively. The crackdown on these illegal activities was a result of concerted efforts by the FBI New York Westchester Organized Crime Task Force. In a moment of reflection, FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy stated, "They are less flashy these days - and a lot of that is due to the incredible cunning and tenacity agents and investigators on our FBI New York Westchester Organized Crime Task Force use to pursue members of these organizations," as said in the press release.
