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Release # 16-2015
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DISTRICT ATTORNEY
QUEENS COUNTY
125-01 QUEENS BOULEVARD
KEW GARDENS, NEW YORK 11415-1568
718-286-6000
RICHARD A. BROWN
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015
CONTACT: QDA PRESS OFFICE
(718) 286-6315
NYPD/DCPI
(646-610-6700)
SEVEN INDIVIDUALS INDICTED IN GAMBLING CRACKDOWN
Five Charged With Enterprise Corruption and Promoting Gambling As Part of Lucrative Sports
Betting Ring; Two Other Defendants Charged In Separate Gambling Operation
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, joined by New York City Police Commissioner
William J. Bratton, today announced that five individuals have been indicted on charges of
unlawfully operating a sports betting enterprise in Queens County that annually took in hundreds of
thousands of dollars in wagers on various sporting events – including professional and college
basketball and football, professional baseball and hockey and other sporting events. Two other
defendants have been separately charged with promoting gambling though a related endeavor.
District Attorney Brown said, “It is alleged that this small operation was able to effectively
compete for the illegal gambling dollars of bettors by availing themselves of modern technology.
By taking advantage of toll-free numbers and Internet web sites as ‘wire rooms’ – where bets were
accepted and gambling accounts were maintained – the defendants allegedly were able to reap huge
profits through their unlawful gambling operation. Today’s indictments send a clear signal that when
it comes to illegal gambling in Queens County, all bets are off.”
Commissioner Bratton said, “Illegal gambling rings, like the one announced in today’s
indictments, profit by exploiting victims who are unable to pay their debts and often result with the
victims owing large sums of money and facing threats of violence for not making payments on time.
The efforts demonstrated by the investigators assigned to the NYPD’s Organized Crime
Investigation Division, along with our colleagues at the Queens District Attorney’s Office, helped
to identify and arrest these individuals who have alleged ties to this criminal operation.”
District Attorney Brown said that the principal defendants – Christopher Morrissey, Louis
Cavalli, Mitchell Fusco, Sean Murtagh and Brian Hull – have been charged in a 34-count indictment
charging 33 pattern acts with, among other crimes, Enterprise Corruption under New York State’s
Organized Crime Control Act. They are accused of being members and associates of an organized
criminal enterprise that operated in Queens County and elsewhere and that, between February 2013
and April 2014, promoted illegal sports betting in Queens County and elsewhere and that the
defendants were involved in non-traditional computerized wire rooms.
A separate six-count indictment charges Luigi Caminiti and Mirsad Dedic with promoting
gambling as part of a related gambling organization. (See Addendum for details on all defendants)
(MORE)
-2District Attorney Brown said that the investigation leading to today’s indictments began in
February 2013 when the New York City Police Department’s Organized Crime Investigation
Division shared information with the Queens County District Attorney’s Rackets and Organized
Crime Bureau about an illegal sports betting operation. The investigation included physical
surveillance, intelligence information and court-authorized electronic eavesdropping.
District Attorney Brown said that, according to the charges, the defendants conspired to make
money illegally through the operation of an unlawful gambling operation that accepted bets on
sporting events. It is alleged that Christopher Morrissey acted in the capacity of the ‘bookmaker’
and, as such, controlled and oversaw the entire operation and profited from each criminal pursuit by
the other defendants. It is alleged that Morrissey employed Louis Cavalli as a “super agent” to run
accounts and manage and collect money from sub-agents – such as Sean Murtagh and Brian Hull,
who also worked, respectively, as a money collector and record keeper. Mitch Fusco allegedly
worked as an “agent” of the operation, as well as a “record keeper” for Cavalli.
The enterprises allegedly handled thousands of wagers each month that generated thousands
of dollars in monthly gross revenue. It is alleged to have relied on modern technology to generate
its criminal proceeds, including toll-free telephone numbers and a gambling website –
www.wagerstop.com (formerly known as www.wager4you.com) and www.mgmwager.com – which,
in effect, served as computerized wire room through which the enterprises conducted much of its
illegal gambling activity.
In a separate indictment, Luigi Caminiti and Mirsad Dedic were charged with knowingly
advancing or profiting from unlawful gambling activity on at least six occasions between November
4 -14, 2013, by engaging in bookmaking and receiving or accepting on a daily basis more than five
bets totaling over $5,000.
The investigation was conducted by the New York City Police Department’s Organized
Crime Investigation Division – specifically, Detective Sean Macdonald, Sergeant James Baratta,
Lieutenant Christopher Fasano, Captain John A. Dusanenko, Inspector John M. Denesopolis and
Chief Thomas Purtell, Commanding Officer, Organized Crime Control Bureau. Detective William
McCabe, of the NYPD’s Asset Forfeiture Unit, also assisted in the investigation along with
Detective Kathy Jackson, of the Technical Assistance Response Unit.
Assistant District Attorneys Michelle Witten and Bradley H. Chain, of the District Attorney’s
Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau, are prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant
District Attorneys Gerard A. Brave, Bureau Chief, Catherine C. Kane and Mark L. Katz, Deputy
Bureau Chiefs, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for
Investigations Peter A. Crusco and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations
Linda M. Cantoni.
It should be noted that an indictment is merely an accusation and that defendants are
presumed innocent until proven guilty.
(MORE)
-3ADDENDUM
Indictment No. 3093/2014
Alleged Bookmaker
Christopher Morrissey, 42, of 78 Boxwood Road, Yonkers, New York, is charged with enterprise
corruption, second-, third- and fourth-degree money laundering, first-degree promoting gambling
and fifth-degree conspiracy. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
Alleged Super Agent/Runner
Louis “Louie” Cavalli, 56, of 73 Cerrone Avenue, Yonkers, New York, is charged with enterprise
corruption, third- and fourth-degree money laundering, first-degree promoting gambling and fifthdegree conspiracy. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
Alleged Agent/Record Keeper
Mitch Fusco, 51, of 13 Shoreview Drive, Yonkers, New York, is charged with enterprise corruption,
third-degree money laundering, first-degree promoting gambling and fifth-degree conspiracy. If
convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
Alleged Sub-Agent/Runner
Sean Murtagh, 42, of 32 East Devonia Avenue, Mount Vernon, New York, is charged with enterprise
corruption, third-degree money laundering, first-degree promoting gambling and fifth-degree
conspiracy. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
Alleged Sub-Agent/Record Keeper
Brian Hull, 37, of 83 East 236th Street, Bronx, New York, is charged with enterprise corruption, firstdegree promoting gambling and fifth-degree conspiracy. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in
prison.
Indictment No. 3093/2014
Alleged Agent
Luigi Caminiti, 34, of 20-16 149th Street, Whitestone, Queens, is charged with six counts of firstdegree promoting gambling. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.
Alleged Sub-Agent
Mirsad “Miro” Dedic, of 28-04 44th Street, Astoria, Queens, is charged with six counts of first-degree
promoting gambling. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.
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Note to Editors: E-version of this press release posted at www.queensda.org.