Mob Leader Convicted for Underground Gambling Operations on Long Island Receives Jail Sentence
In a significant development, a former acting capo of the Genovese crime family, Carmelo "Carmine" Polito, was sentenced to 30 months in prison on December 16, 2024. Polito pleaded guilty on April 5, 2024, to operating an illegal gambling business out of the Gran Caffé in Lynbrook, Long Island.
The Gran Caffé, it appears, was more than just a popular café. Prosecutors claim that the establishment operated "illegal joker poker-type gambling machines" and poker games, generating over $2,000 for the mob each day. The illegal gambling parlor, concealed within the Gran Caffé, was jointly operated by the Genovese and Bonanno families, starting from at least May 2012.
Polito, alongside his associates Joseph Macario and Anthony Pipitone, successfully negotiated a profit split for the gambling location to ensure both crime families benefited from the illegal operation. The profit split was arranged on behalf of the Genovese crime family by Polito and Macario, and on behalf of the Bonanno crime family by Pipitone.
The FBI and the New York State Gaming Commission investigated Polito and his connections to underground gambling in 2022. The investigation led to the indictment of several other individuals, including Joseph Rutigliano, known as "Joe Box," Salvatore Rubino, also known as "Sal the Shoemaker," and Mark Feuer, among others. Rutigliano, Rubino, and Feuer were indicted alongside Polito and Macario in 2022.
However, not all indicted individuals have pleaded guilty. Hector Rosario, a former acting Nassau County Police Detective, has been charged with obstructing a grand jury investigation and making false statements to the FBI. Rosario has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Federal authorities indicted Rosario in 2022 for organizing police raids at competing underground gambling dens in return for kickbacks from the mob.
The illegal gambling business was part of a network of establishments in and around Nassau County, allegedly operated by the Genovese and Bonanno families. The case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle against organised crime and the efforts of law enforcement to dismantle such operations.
