Investigators say the suspects were part of a widespread business that saw 320 bettors and took in tens of millions.
HACKENSACK - Forty-six people have been arrested in three states and $2 million cash seized in what investigators are calling a large-scale criminal enterprise involving gambling, money laundering and racketeering.
Investigators say Robert "Elvis" D'Alessio, 62, of Little Falls, operated an illegal enterprise in and around Bergen County, employing a hierarchy of more than 50 gambling agents who oversaw about 320 bettors, according to Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal.
The agents or "package holders" oversaw individual bettors and collected money from gambling losses. They also paid out winnings, the prosecutor said.
"These package holders managed 22 different gambling accounts," Grewal alleged in a statement.
D'Alessio allegedly ran the operation with the help of an off-shore wire room in Costa Rica, the prosecutor said.
Grewal said agents and bettors used offshore 1-800 numbers to place or check on bets.
"The entire gambling operation is estimated to have processed tens of millions of dollars in wagers per year," Grewal said.
In addition to dozens of "package holders" identified throughout the New York/New Jersey area, the investigation revealed that D'Alessio's former brother-in-law, Esteban "Steve" Cueli, played a key role in the enterprise, Grewal alleged.
In addition to managing several "packages" relating to the bookmaking operation in and around South Florida, Cueli is charged with conspiring with D'Alessio to launder the proceeds of the illegal gambling operation, the prosecutor said.
The investigation also revealed that D'Alessio and Cueli conspired with Enrique Larach, a businessman in Miami, Fla., to launder proceeds from D'Alessio's illegal gambling operation, according to the prosecutor.
Robert Beatty of Wayne, Alfonc Pilinci of Franklin Lakes and Dante Monaco of Hackettstown have been charged for their alleged roles as managers within the enterprise, Grewal stated.
In addition to the prosecutor's office, the following agencies assisted in the arrests: New Jersey State Police, Bergen County Sheriff's Office, Broward County, Fla. Sheriff's Department, the Miami-Dade Police Department, and the New York City Police Department.
D'Alessio, Beatty, Monaco, Pilinci and Gregory Farace wer taken to the Bergen County Jail. Others arrested out of state were released on their own recognizance, pending extradition to New Jersey, the prosecutor said.
Here is a list of the suspects and charges:
1) ROBERT D'ALESSIO
Age: 62
Little Falls, Racketeering
Promoting Gambling
Money Laundering
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unemployed
2) JEFFREY BADAAN
Age: 33
Wayne, Promoting Gambling (3rd)
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Liquor Store Clerk
3) JAMES MIELE
Age: 52
Bridgewater, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unknown
4) ERIC OROZCO
Age: 39
Paterson, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unemployed
5) LOUIS SEMINERIO
Age: 69
Elmwood Park, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Retired
6) CASEY PASSMORE
Age: 35
Boonton, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unemployed
7) ROBERT BEATTY
Age: 40
Wayne, Racketeering
Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Restaurant owner
8) JOSEPH LOFORESE
Age: 30
Little Falls, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unknown
9) FATMIR SALAJ
Age: 45
Matawan, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unknown
10) ALFONC PILINCI
Age: 59
Franklin Lakes, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Restaurant owner
11) LULZIM "LUIGI" CANA
Age: 39
Dover, Promoting Gambling (3rd)
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Restaurant owner
12) GEZIM PILINCI
Age: 30
Franklin Lakes, Obstruction of Justice
Unknown
13) THOMAS D'ALESSIO JR.
Age: 66
Hackettstown, NJ Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Retired
14) IMER DRAGA, A/K/A MICHAEL DOLCE
Age: 47
Staten Island, NY Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Restaurant owner
15) JOSEPH D'ALESSIO
Age: 55
Wyckoff, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Teacher
16) ANTHONY MAGNANI
Age: 43
Harrison, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Bar owner
17) ESTEBAN "STEVE" CUELI
Age: 56
Doral, Fla. Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
Unemployed
18) COREY ARRAJJ
Age: 31
Wyckoff, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy
Salesman
19) JOSEPH GRELLO
Age: 51
Newton, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy
Self-Employed
20) RON KOCERHA
Age: 47
Secaucus, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy
Restaurant owner
21) GREGORY FARACE
Age: 51
Pequannock, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy
Unemployed
22) RALPH GAMBA
Age: 60
Livingston, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy Retired
23) WILLIAM RZUCIDLO
Age: 23
Parsippany, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy
Unknown
24) MARTIN FLANAGAN
Age: 72
Morristown, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Retired
25) BRIAN RUSSO
Age: 41
Verona, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Self-Employed
26) RONNIE FOX
Age: 57
Woodland Park, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Swim Instructor
27) DULO BOLIJEVIC
Age: 43
Dover, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Restaurant owner
28) EDWARD "BUZZ" KELLY
Age: 48
Bronx, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unemployed
29) VICTOR ROMANO
Age: 37
Staten Island, N.Y., Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unknown
30) WILLIAM GUIDO
Age: 67
Waretown, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Self-Employed
31) KENNETH PABON
Age: 62
Staten Island, N.Y., Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Retired
32) JOHN SCHWARTZ
Age: 52
Secaucus, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Facilities Director
33) KEVIN O'LEARY
Age: 24
Secaucus, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Student
34) CHARLES STEINBERG
Age: 40
Coral Springs, Fla., Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unemployed
35) DANTE MONACO
Age: 53
Hackettstown,
Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Racketeering
Unemployed
36) JOSEPH FARRUGGIA
Age: 28
Mount Arlington, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unknown
37) DANTE MONACO JR.
Age: 20
Hackettstown, Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unemployed
38) JAMES MANGANIELLO
Age: 56
Totowa, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unknown
39) ENRIQUE LARACH
Age: 54
Miami, Fla., Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
Money Laundering
Self-Employed
40) STEPHEN GERISCH
Age: 71
Boonton,
Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Retired
41) SADIK "SAL" KOLIC
Age: 56
Randolph, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Restaurant worker
42) TYLER BERNTSEN
Age: 25
Lebanon, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unemployed
43) NEIL ESKOW
Age: 43
Fair Lawn, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unemployed
44) PALMA PAKULNIEWICZ
Age: 70
Secaucus, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Retired
45) JARED PETRUSKA
Age: 30
Wayne, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Construction worker
46) PAUL JON SILJEE
Age: 26
Wayne, Promoting Gambling
Conspiracy to Promote Gambling
Unknown
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
