Three Westchester men were among five New Yorkers who were indicted for their alleged roles in overseeing and operating a 15-year-long illegal, online gambling business with suspected ties to the Lucchese crime family.
The U.S. Attorney”™s Office in the Eastern District of New York said the illegal business, known as “Rhino Sports,” ran an offshore website and worked with dozens of New York bookmakers to take millions of illegal sports bets between 2004 and 2020.
The Westchester men who were indicted are Anthony Villani of Elmsford, Dennis Filizzola of Cortlandt Manor and Louis Tucci Jr. of Tuckahoe. Two Bronx residents, James Coumoutsos and Michael Praino, were also arrested. Villani was identified by the Department of Justice as a “Luchese crime family soldier” who coordinated the scheme.
“As alleged, this conduct demonstrates how members of La Cosa Nostra continue to engage in illegal gambling operations and money laundering money-marking schemes that lead to threats of violence against anyone who stands in their way and has resulted in millions of dollars in profits to the Lucchese crime family,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District Breon Peace. “These charges illustrate this office”™s continued commitment to rooting La Cosa Nostra out of New York.”
