Lucchese captain Anthony Villani sentenced for unlawful playing racket

That’s a La Cosa No-No-stra.

A Mafia captain was sentenced Wednesday for working an unlawful on-line betting operation that netted practically $25 million over the previous 25 years, based on federal prosecutors.

US District Choose Kiyo Matsumoto gave Anthony Villani, a reputed Lucchese crime household soldier, 21 months within the slammer for his involvement within the racket, officers mentioned.

Villani, a 60-year-old resident of Elmsford, pleaded responsible earlier within the 12 months to racketeering, cash laundering and unlawful playing.

The captain owned Rhino Sports activities, an internet enterprise using Mafia figures as native bookmakers.

The operation, which was primarily based within the Bronx and Westchester county, took in at the least $1 million yearly from hundreds of gamblers, federal prosecutors mentioned.

Seal of the United States District Court, Eastern District of New York. — United States District Choose Kiyo A. Matsumoto sentenced Anthony Villani, a captain within the Lucchese organized crime household, to 21 months in jail following his conviction for racketeering with predicate acts of cash laundering and unlawful playing, officers mentioned Paul Martinka

Villani recruited and employed “trusted associates” to assist him handle the unlawful playing outfit, officers mentioned.

He additionally extorted somebody between October 2019 and October 2020, threatening them over $300,000 they stole from Rhino Sports activities, based on prosecutors.

“I’m not going to repeat myself. I’m not going to ever say this once more. We’re simply going to have an issue if I discover out. Alright? And I don’t need to threaten you with my associates or something, I’m not gonna, you place me in a f—–g gap with this man,” Villani reportedly warned on April 27, 2020.

A picture of the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse. — Anthony Villani employed co-defendants James Coumoutsos and Michael Praino — who glided by the nicknames “Fast” and “Platinum” — as bookmakers, federal prosecutors mentioned. Paul Martinka

“Pay attention, get the f—–g cash. I’m telling you proper now, you don’t get this cash – f—–g run away,” he mentioned, based on prosecutors. “Go get this f—–g cash,” Villani demanded months later, prosecutors mentioned.

The person on the receiving finish of the threats believed Villani or different members of the Lucchese crime household would bodily damage or kill him if he didn’t repay the debt.

The case was investigated by the Jap District of New York’s Organized Crime and Gangs Part.