47 arrested in illegal sports betting ring.

[uPaxus]

My understanding is that these guys had Costa Rican ties.

Authorities today broke up a sophisticated illegal betting operation they said netted $35 million in profit from thousands of bettors wagering on college and professional sports.

More:

http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates/2007/03/47_arrested_in_illegal_sports.html

[bigboydan]

Don't tell me let me guess, JJ was the informer


Heres the article:

47 arrested in illegal sports betting ring
Posted by The Star-Ledger March 28, 2007 4:17PM
Categories: Crime

Authorities today broke up a sophisticated illegal betting operation they said netted $35 million in profit from thousands of bettors wagering on college and professional sports.

Fanning out across New Jersey this morning, more than 300 law enforcement officers arrested 47 alleged members of the operation, including three men considered to be the top principals.

Joseph Pasquale, 51, of Mantoloking, Richard Crossan, 48, of Hillsborough, and Ralph Santoro, 52, of Bridgewater, are accused of being partners in the management of the overall operation.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the New Jersey State Police joined with at least eight other law enforcement agencies and the Internal Revenue Service to shut down what they said was one of the biggest betting operations in the state's history.

Authorities say thousands of people placed 1.6 milion bets worth more than $500 million between August 2005 and February 2007.

Police said they seized $2 million in cash from Pasquale's home and more than $350,000 in a number of other bank accounts tied to the enterprise.

The investigation was dubbed Operation Thunderbird, a name taken from Pasquale's 28-foot Thunderbird yacht called "Risky Business." The yacht was among 14 vehicles seized in the operation, along with Pasquale's bayfront estate, valued at several million dollars.

The three men are being held in Monmouth County jail on $1 million bail.

[tacomax]

The article actually reads:

47 arrested in illegal sports betting ring
Posted by The Star-Ledger March 28, 2007 4:17PM
Categories: Crime

Authorities today broke up a sophisticated illegal betting operation they said netted $35 million in profit from thousands of bettors wagering on college and professional sports.

Fanning out across New Jersey this morning, more than 300 law enforcement officers arrested 47 alleged members of the operation, including three men considered to be the top principals.

Mario Doblin, 51, of Mantoloking, Hank Webber, 48, of Hillsborough, and John Jack Gold, 52, of Bridgewater, are accused of being partners in the management of the overall operation.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the New Jersey State Police joined with at least eight other law enforcement agencies and the Internal Revenue Service to shut down what they said was one of the biggest betting operations in the state's history.

Authorities say thousands of people placed 1.6 milion bets worth more than $500 million between August 2005 and February 2007.

Police said they seized $2 million in cash from Doblin's home and more than $350,000 in a number of other bank accounts tied to the enterprise.

The investigation was dubbed Operation Thunderbird, a name taken from Doblin's 28-foot Thunderbird yacht called "Risky Business." The yacht was among 14 vehicles seized in the operation, along with Doblin's bayfront estate, valued at several million dollars.

The three men are being held in Monmouth County jail on $1 million bail.

[Tchocky]

I'm glad no bettors were arrested. 32 weapons were seized. No doubt in my mind these guys were tied to organized crime.