Posted on 04/02/2010 4:34:31 AM PDT by Eagles2003
Authorities seized about $2 million from them and their associates during raids. Joseph Mastronardo Jr., the son-in-law of Frank Rizzo, and his brother John are still on probation from a previous arrest.
A leopard doesn't change its spots, the saying goes. The same could be said of the Mastronardo brothers, if what authorities alleged this week is true.
The Montgomery County men were arrested for the second time in four years Wednesday night after authorities seized about $2 million cash from them and their supposed associates during a sweeping raid aimed at crippling a sports betting ring that authorities claim stretched south to Florida and west to Las Vegas.
The arrests came as Joseph V. Mastronardo Jr., 60, and his brother, John V. Mastronardo, 54, were still on probation following their 2006 guilty plea to bookmaking charges that stemmed from running a multi-state gambling empire. About $2.7 million was confiscated in connection with that case.
During Wednesday's raid, more than $1 million, bookmaking records and computers were seized from the Meadowbrook mansion of the ring's alleged kingpin Joseph Mastronardo Jr., who is the son-in-law of Frank L. Rizzo, the late mayor and police commissioner of Philadelphia.
Much of the money was stuffed in PVC pipe that was buried in Mastronardo's backyard on the 1600 block of Stocton Road in Abington, records said.
Authorities found betting records and cash to the tune of $242,690 in the Blue Bell home of John Mastronardo, a 54-year-old who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles after a standout college football career at Villanova University. The home on Devonshire Court belongs to John and his father, Joe Sr.
An investigation by Montgomery County Detectives determined the brothers never stopped running their high-end betting operation despite their 2006 guilty pleas, according an affidavit of probable cause filed Wednesday.
"Times like this, I'm happy I'm still a bookmaker," Joseph Mastronardo Jr. reportedly said in a wire-tapped conversation last Saturday, referring to the financial struggles of others during the nation's economic downturn.
Wiretaps on five cellular phones, two confidential sources and the raid helped detectives determine the Mastronardos have continued to run a gambling syndicate that takes sports bets in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Florida, records said.
"Our investigation revealed the Mastronardo bookmaking enterprise is substantial, extremely profitable," detectives wrote in the affidavit. Advertisement
Montgomery County Detectives were joined by local police departments, state police and FBI agents from Fort Washington and Florida in the Wednesday raid that saw 46 search and seizure warrants executed in Montgomery County, Philadelphia and Boca Raton, Fla.
According to court records, $16,000 was recovered from the home of Joseph Vitelli, who lives on Bryant Court in Horsham, records said. While the court documents suggest Vitelli was laundering money for the Mastronardos, there was no indication Thursday anyone other than the two brothers had been charged.
Another $400,000 was seized from the home of alleged Mastronardo bookie Harry Murray in Boca Raton, where a sweep of the Mastronardo condominium and Joseph Mastronardo Jr.'s apartment turned up another $85,000.
Authorities found a money counter, bookmaking records and $16,000 in the Philadelphia home of Eric Woehlcke, who records describe as Joseph Mastronardo Jr.'s right-hand man.
Authorities said they found bookmaking cash in the homes of alleged associates, including $180,000 in the Plymouth Meeting home of alleged bookie Harry Piacitelli.
A 41-page affidavit of probable cause is filled with excerpts of phone conversations between Mastronardo Jr. and associates. In a chat with Woehlcke, Mastronardo Jr. complains of his health problems and how his brother John wastes money and does not keep correct books.
"Well my brother just takes a ton off me," he said. "They risk all your freedom and then, then they want half the money" he added of his brother and another alleged associate.
Mastronardo Jr. is often aggravated in the conversations, worried that the business is going to collapse amid a bad economy and angry that money owed on bets is not being collected.
Mastronardo Jr. also makes references to ties he allegedly has to an off-shore sports betting agency in Costa Rica. Court papers tell of the Philadelphia-area bookmakers flying to Boca Raton to do business, and show Mastronardo Jr. was worried he'd be caught again.
"I'm on pro. I'm on probation right now," he allegedly said. "Think about that + if I get caught I'm gonna get, get a couple years, right?"
John Mastronardo and Joseph Mastronardo Jr. were incarcerated in Montgomery County Prison on charges that include corrupt organizations, pool selling and bookmaking and conspiracy.
What's the banking world coming to?
Meanwhile, more legalized gambling is on the horizon for Maryland. Slots/horseracing/lotteries, OK. Bookmaking, NOT.
Hypocrites.
Where you been? MD has had horseracing since the 1800s, lotteries for a bunch of years. And Bingo for old ladies. The promoters of Bingo rake off more than they admit to their “sponsoring charities”, it’s a cash business. Slots are about the only thing that will keep the racetracks open. Attendance has been declining for years, Stronach’s Magna is in some state of bankruptcy.
No one holds a gun to anyone’s head for any of these activities, all purely voluntary.
Besides if you want to bet real time on horseracing all you need is a good computer, an internet connection and an onshore account, avoid the offshore crooks. Congress passed an exception for internet gambling for horseracing only.
I’m guessing you don’t remember that little loophole where “charities” in MD could run casino operations back in the ‘80s. That one closed after a bunch of weeks, can you imagine a casino run by volunteer firemen giving away lots of free booze? That’s what we had, I stayed away, I could’ve actually walked to one game, but heard it was wilder than Vegas. I wonder how many drunks and cheats took advantage?
My apologies, I misread your post and thought you weren’t aware of what’s been going on for years.
You can also bet football if you know how on the net without going offshore. Haven’t checked the other sports. Luckily I saved $50 by not betting on the Bears last time they were in the Super Bowl, but I was ready, just had a bout with sanity before I pulled the trigger.
No problem.
Funny you should mention the Bears. Bet them straight up against the Vikings in one of the last Monday night games. Allowed me to make a very small profit for the season.
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