Carmelo Polito, also known as “Carmine Polito,” a longtime member and former acting captain in the Genovese organized crime family, received a 30-month prison sentence for racketeering charges related to conducting illegal gambling businesses and attempts at violent extortion. United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano handed down the sentence at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.
Prosecuting Organized Crime Is Challenging
The sentence marks a significant milestone in New York’s ongoing efforts to dismantle illicit operations by the Genovese and Bonanno crime families, which have been operating in the state for years. These organizations run illegal gambling rings, even enhancing their offerings by organizing offshore black market online casinos. Members follow omertà, a code of conduct emphasizing secrecy and loyalty, making investigations difficult.
Polito’s conviction stems from his participation in a sprawling network of illegal gambling enterprises across Long Island and New York. From as early as 2012, the Genovese and Bonanno organized crime families jointly operated highly profitable illegal gambling parlors camouflaged as legitimate businesses. These establishments could also have been fronts for money laundering.
Some venues involved in these operations included Gran Caffé in Lynbrook, Long Island, which hosted an illegal gambling ring, and Sal’s Shoe Repair and the Centro Calcio Italiano Club, where the Genovese family collected their ill-gained proceeds. Such decentralization is critical for evading authorities, as cracking down on one location is less likely to jeopardize the whole organization.
The Accused Threatened Debtors with Violence
Polito managed these establishments and made sure the proceeds were passed up the chain to the higher-ups. Surveillance captured Polito personally delivering proceeds to high-ranking members of the Genovese hierarchy. In addition to physical gambling parlors, Polito co-operated an illegal online sports betting scheme through a now-shuttered platform called “PGWLines.” However, the site became a tool for extortion when debts went unpaid.
A 2019 recording revealed how Polito threatened debtors with physical harm. When payments were still not made, he escalated his threats. FBI Assistant Director James E. Dennehy noted that the sentence reflects the consequences of participating in organized crime and vowed to continue the ongoing efforts to root out organized crime.
May today’s sentencing reaffirm the FBI’s commitment to doubling down on all organized crime activity plaguing our communities.
James E. Dennehy, FBI Assistant Director in Charge
Polito is the first defendant sentenced in a broader federal crackdown targeting the Genovese and Bonanno families. Several co-defendants involved in the gambling operations and related crimes also await sentencing, showcasing law enforcement’s continued campaign to rid New York of organized crime, especially in illegal gaming, a traditionally lucrative business for mafia families.
