Staten Island man guilty in NCAA fixing scheme

[SBR Drew]

Benjamin Bifalco, 25, is among 20 defendants — including reputed Colombo family capo Joseph Amato — named in three indictments that allege a wide range of criminal activity dating to January 2014.
FBI wiretaps caught Bifalco telling Amato’s son and co-defendant, Joseph Amato Jr., 26, about a plan to “pay thousands of dollars to multiple members” of an unidentified team to lose an NCCA Division 1 basketball game by more than the point spread, according to federal prosecutors.
Bifalco allegedly encouraged Amato Jr. to bet big but apparently couldn’t pull off the December 2018 scam, with court papers saying that Amato Jr. sent two text messages warning a reputed Colombo soldier not to place any wagers.
“Ok I wouldn’t trust the game I was telling u about” and “I’m not touching it personally,” Amato Jr. allegedly wrote.
In a prepared statement, Malliotakis (R-Staten Island, Brooklyn) said she hired Bifalco as her director of community affairs on Sept. 16, and fired him immediately upon learning about his indictment.


“He was active in local politics, planning to apply to law school and was recommended to me by a number of people,” Malliotakis said.
“I am shocked and saddened by this news. I have zero tolerance for criminal activity.”
Bifalco is a nephew of former US Rep. Vito Fosella, a Staten Island Republican who served more than a decade in Congress, sources said.
Fosella, who opted not to seek re-election following a 2008 scandal over an extramarital affair and a secret second family, didn’t return requests for comment.
Bifalco, who’s charged with one count of attempted sports bribery, was awaiting arraignment in Brooklyn federal court.

[stackz125]

Do you have a link?

[Bcatswin]

Shits everywhere they just got exposed

[pologq]

i am shocked and appalled

[asiagambler]

I wonder which school it was

[mikejamm]

I wonder which school it was

Probably the Manhattan Jaspers. Not a big name school with big time players, easily corruptible.

[clockwise1965]

This is nothing new. The only thing that makes this story relevant is they where caught and indicted.

[Foxx]

Says guilty in thread title but only indicted in the post. Which is it?

[newton0038]

Players wont need to be paid if the state lottery system puts it on their kiosk. kids gonna hammer a line at 7-11 for $500, then go shoot 5%. Cashout proceed to club

[JIBBBY]

If you ain't cheating you ain't trying. He took a shot.

Still no guarantees, let's say you pay off some starters on the team behind closed doors but not the entire team to throw the score at the end. What if the scrubs get in the game late in garbage time that aren't in on the gig and the starters sit? You'd have to think the coach would be in on it first off for it to work.

Too many intangibles to make it work IMO.. The entire team and coach has to be in on it..

Somebody would snitch.. Too risky to try..

[jjgold]

Seems
Like a
Very small
Potatoes type case