Posted 12/31/10 by Lenny S : Accused's lawyer denies claim of mob connections
A Manhattan federal court sentenced a man who is alleged to have connections with the notorious Gambino crime family to 30 months in jail this week after he pleaded guilty to racketeering charges related to online sports betting.
The New York Post reported that Michael Scarpaci (34) played a role in an Internet sports betting ring and arranged high-stakes poker games. He already faces a five year imprisonment sentence for heading a $20 million ‘boiler room' stock selling scheme under the title Gryphon Financial, where it is alleged that he used some of the profits to fund internet gambling operations.
The recovering alcoholic and drug addict admitted he steered fellow bettors to his unidentified Web-based, off-shore sports betting site and also recruited players to join him at card games in Manhattan hotels.
The charges against Scarpaci formed part of a major indictment against 14 other accused persons – allegedly with mob connections – earlier this year.
A debate on the suitability of the accused's legal representative provided the court with an interesting diversion. Prosecution lawyers claimed that defence lawyer Joseph Corrozzo was a ‘house counsel' to the Gambinos, in which his father, Joseph, is the reputed consigliore, and his uncle Nicholas is a reputed capo. Corrozzo defeated the attempt to exclude him from the case.