Authorities in Atlantic City have announced that nine men have pleaded guilty to participating in a sports betting ring that was operating out of a poker room in the Borgata Hotel and Casino. The men reportedly earned millions of dollars while running the illegal scheme.

The men agreed to plea bargains after the top two operators appeared in court yesterday and admitted to their part in the ring’s operations. Three men, Ian Blackman, Douglas Rubino and John Findaly plead guilty to promoting gambling charges while Bernard Malsee, Dominick Grande, William DePena, Joseph Baldino Jr, Frank Baldino and Russell Brown plead guilty to the same charges one day earlier. The men will be sentenced in February and could face up to a year in prison for the charges.

Authorities called the investigation “Operation High Roller” and in the investigation twenty four people were arrested that included five employees of the Borgata. Those involved ran the operation, looked the other way at money exchanges or took bets. In just under two years the operation took in $60 million in bets on college and professional basketball and football games.


- 2008-12-23