Man Pleads Guilty in Illicit Sports Betting Operation, Avoids Prison Time
Louis P. Ferrari, II, a 42-year-old resident of Rochester, N.Y., has pled guilty to charges related to an illegal sports betting operation and will avoid prison time as part of his plea agreement.
The federal plea, which includes charges of conspiracy to transmit wagering information in interstate commerce and conducting an illegal gambling business, was made before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Ferrari’s sentencing is scheduled for August 7.
Charges and Potential Penalties
Ferrari faced significant potential penalties, including up to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000. However, under the plea agreement, he will not serve time behind bars.
The charges stem from activities between April 25, 2019, and April 17, 2021, during which Ferrari was involved in a conspiracy with several associates to run an illegal bookmaking business that typically generated about $2,000 daily.
Details of the Operation
Prosecutors allege that Ferrari, along with Dominic Sprague, Anthony Amato, Tomasso Sessa, Joseph Lombardo, Jeffrey Boscarino, and James Civiletti, operated the illegal sports betting site “sport700.com.”
Ferrari and Amato were responsible for setting up sports wagering accounts for their associates, while Ferrari, Sprague, and Lombardo collected money from bettors.
In addition to the illegal sports betting site, Ferrari ran an illegal poker room and laundered money through a legitimate business, Ferrari Excavating.
Reports indicate that he accumulated over $1 million from these illicit operations. Ferrari also faced accusations of assaulting a player who owed him money.
Law Enforcement Involvement
The investigation, which began in September 2020 with an undercover officer’s participation in a card game linked to Ferrari, involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the New York State Police, and local police departments. The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office also supported federal prosecutors in the case.
Federal prosecutor Melissa Marangola highlighted Ferrari’s role as the ringleader of the operation, stating, “The allegations in this case were that Louis Ferrari was the ringleader of a sports betting page… His other co-defendants all have pled guilty at this point.”
Ferrari’s co-defendants have also pled guilty to similar charges related to the illegal gambling operation.
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