By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
In the gambling world there are lucky days and not so lucky days.
Thursday was a “not so lucky day” for suspected members and associates of the Luchese crime family in New York who were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of running an illegal gambling, sports betting and loan sharking operation and trying to bribe New York cops.
In all, 19 people were indicted in the gambling ring. Of that group, 12 were charged as members, associates and conspirators of the Luchese crime family, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Eighteen of the 19 of the suspects were arrested on Thursday.
Authorities alleged that as part of the gambling operation in in 2006 to 2007, several defendants participated in a scheme to bribe a N.Y. police sergeant and a detective for protection. Unbeknownst to the suspected wise guys, the cops were actually working undercover as part of the two year probe, authorities said.
The indictment was announced Thursday by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, N.Y. Attorney Gen. Andrew Cuomo, Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore and NYPD Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
“Today’s arrests mark another important step in our continued efforts to shut down La Cosa Nostra in New York City once and for all,” said U.S. Atty. Bharara in a statement.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly in a prepared statement added:
“Attempts by members of organized crime to bribe law enforcement into protecting their illegal gaming parlors turned out to be a bad bet made by bad people.”
The action in federal court came on the same day that Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau announced the indictment of 29 people that included members and associates of the Luchese crime family.
Those charges included bribery, receiving bribes, extortion, narcotics and firearms trafficking, and illegal gambling.
