Opinion ID: 546225
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: illegal gambling operations

Text: 17 Appellants conducted four illegal gambling operations, three numbers businesses and a sports betting business. Thomas DelGiorno ran the most profitable numbers business. He testified that his business operated continuously from 1976 until 1986, when he began to cooperate with law enforcement officials, tr. 10/11/88 at 83-85. DelGiorno employed between ten and thirty individuals as salaried numbers writers. Id. at 86, 88. The writers turned their work into one of up to five numbers offices which were located, for the most part, in private homes. Id. at 86-87. Over the business's ten-year history, average revenues ranged from $10,000 to $100,000 per week. Id. at 89-90. This business was able to compete with the state lotteries because the players could get credit, would be paid right away if they hit, and would not have to pay taxes on their winnings. Id. at 89. 18 Appellant Iannarella began work for DelGiorno as a numbers office employee receiving bets in the late 1970's, and served as manager of the business from the early 1980's until mid-1985, when he was replaced by Scafidi. Id. at 91-94. As managers, Iannarella and Scafidi were responsible for supervising all of the offices and employees, collecting gambling debts and bets from the numbers writers, and paying the employees. Id. 19 In 1982, appellant Salvatore Merlino and DelGiorno became partners in another numbers business in the Philadelphia area. The Merlino-DelGiorno business was managed by Scafidi and received approximately $3000 to $5000 in bets each week, until it closed operations in February, 1986. Id. at 96-98. 20 A third numbers business was operated by appellant Joseph Pungitore in partnership with Michael Madgin from December, 1985 until early 1987. Pungitore financed the business and supervised collections from the numbers writers. Pungitore's business regularly employed more than five workers and brought in approximately $14,000 in bets each week. 21 The illegal sports betting business was conducted by appellants Scarfo, Salvatore Merlino and Joseph Pungitore and co-defendant Leonetti in Philadelphia from 1983 until late 1986. In 1983, Pungitore, DelGiorno and Salvatore Testa each invested $25,000 as partners in the business. After Salvatore Testa was murdered on September 14, 1984, Scarfo and Salvatore Merlino assumed his one-third interest in the business and split one third of the business's profits. When Philip Leonetti replaced Merlino as underboss in February, 1986, he took over Merlino's ownership interest. Joseph Pungitore managed the business's daily operations and, after DelGiorno became a cooperating government witness, controlled the business's $300,000 bank roll. Tr. 10/12/88 at 24. 22 The sports betting operation appears to have been a highly successful endeavor, which provided year-round profits from football, baseball and basketball bets. Tr. 10/12/88 at 16-20. It involved 30 to 40 bookies turning their work into five offices, received more than $2000 in bets on every day of its operation, and on a typical Sunday received $175,000 to $200,000 in bets. Id. Tr. 10/21/88 at 25-35.