Crime & Safety

New Canaan Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Stamford Gambling Ring

A New Canaan man pleaded guilty Wednesday to violating the RICO act for his involvement in an organized-crime controlled gambling ring, the Connecticut District for the U.S. Attorney's Office announced. 

According to Attorney Dierdre M. Daly, Joseph Borea, 56, of New Canaan, pleaded guilty "to one count of conspiring to violate the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act." 

Borea, Dean DePreta, Richard Uva & 17 others, including this Norwalk man, were charged with various offenses in the case, an investigation of collaboration between the FBI, IRS and Stamford Police Department. The group was allegedly running an illegal Internet sports bookmaking operation and illegal card gambling clubs, according to Daly. 

DePreta and Uva were involved in collecting "tribute" payments, which they delivered to the Gambino organized crime family in New York, said Daly.
 
Daly said DePreta was allegedly operated a large-scale sports bookmaking business in which gamblers placed bets with offshore Internet sports-gambling websites, particularly www.44wager.com, based in Costa Rica.  Uva served as the “master agent” for the bookmaking operation, according to Daly. Both have pleaded guilty to their involvement in the operation. 

In addition, DePreta, Uva and others operated card gambling clubs in Stamford and Hamden where a house percentage, commonly referred to as a “rake,” was collected from every hand played, Daly said. The group allegedly collected over $1.7 million between October 2010 and June 2011. 

Borea was involved in collecting gambling debts for Depreta and Uva. 

He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and has agreed to forfeit $75,000. He's been free on bond since his June 13, 2013, arrest. 

To date, the defendants who have pleaded guilty have agreed to forfeit a total of more than $1.4 million.


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