{"id":14718,"date":"2025-10-24T09:36:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T09:36:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/14718\/"},"modified":"2025-10-24T09:36:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T09:36:19","slug":"from-the-son-of-a-legendary-mafia-capo-to-a-wiseguy-poker-pro-these-are-the-mobsters-charged-in-the-nba-gambling-scandal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/14718\/","title":{"rendered":"From the son of a legendary Mafia capo to a wiseguy poker pro\u2014\u00a0these are the mobsters charged in the NBA gambling scandal"},"content":{"rendered":"

The son of a legendary mafia capo, a newbie made man and a mobster who did time for an infamous Queens racial attack were among the 13 reputed mobsters busted alongside NBA stars<\/a> in a sweeping historic gambling bust, according to a new federal indictment.<\/p>\n

Among the most prominent of the gangsters who were dealt into the high-stakes scams is Angelo Ruggiero Jr, the son of the late Gambino<\/a> captain Angelo \u201cQuack Quack\u201d Ruggiero Sr.<\/p>\n

Ruggiero Jr\u2019s father was close friends with notorious Gambino boss John Gotti, who helped plan the murder of Gambino leader Paul Castellano<\/a> in 1985.<\/p>\n

One of the mobsters arrested in the NBA gambling bust is the son of Gambino crime family captain Angelo \u201cQuack Quack\u201d Ruggiero (pictured). 12.3.96<\/p>\n

Ruggeiro was a friend of Gambino boss John Gotti. Getty Images<\/p>\n

When Gotti became head of the crime family, he promoted Ruggiero, who later acted as a liaison for the family while Gotti stood trial for murder in 1992. <\/p>\n

The gangster \u2014 who earned his ducky nickname because of his penchant for talking a lot and who did things like threaten to feed people to sharks \u2014 became infamous because the feds picked him up on wiretaps complaining about his mob bosses and used his comments in case against Castellano. <\/p>\n

The younger Ruggiero, who is also a made man, now stands accused of receiving \u201cproceeds\u201d of the rigged poker games \u201con behalf of the\u00a0 Gambino crime family.\u201d<\/p>\n

A second wiseguy arrested for his alleged role in the FBI\u2019s gambling and poker probe is Ernest \u201cErnie\u201d Aiello \u2014 who made headlines for inquiring in court about how he can avoid mob ties and still eat at his favorite Italian bakery back in 2018.<\/p>\n

Mobster Ernest \u201cErnie\u201d Aiello seen in court in 2014. David McGlynn<\/p>\n

The 43-year-old Bonanno crime family mobster was busted for\u00a0loansharking, gambling and drug dealing in July 2013, but ultimately walked free after a mistrial in May 2017.<\/p>\n

During a court hearing the next year,\u00a0a judge warned him not to commiserate with fellow mobsters \u2014which Aiello said may\u00a0spoil his breakfast, since he frequents a\u00a0beloved Italian bakery in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n

Follow The Post\u2019s latest on the gambling scandal rocking the NBA:<\/p>\n

The judge, in turn, warned him to simply keep his visits to Fortunato Brothers Cafe in Williamsburg short and sweet, according to the Daily News.<\/a><\/p>\n

He\u2019s now accused of receiving a portion of the criminal proceeds from the rigged poker games on behalf of the Bonanno crime family.<\/p>\n

Busted Gambino wiseguy Lee Fama, meanwhile, has a history of cleaning up at the poker table.<\/p>\n

Gambino mobster Lee Fama raked in $22,000 gambling at casinos while the feds probed him on drug charges in 2012. Borgata Winter Poker Open 2012<\/p>\n

In 2012, as the Drug Enforcement Administration probed him for drug charges he won big playing poker at casinos in Vegas and Atlantic City, The Post reported<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\n

Fama raked in more than\u00a0 $22,000 at\u00a0poker tournaments\u00a0at the Borgata in Atlantic City and $666 at a Las Vegas\u2019s Rio hotel as Drug Enforcement Administration officials probed him for conspiring to distribute marijuana in 2012.<\/p>\n

\tThe FBI has arrested 31 people involved in a rigged poker game ring backed by the New York City organized crime families.<\/p>\n

Ernest Aiello \u2014 reputed Bonanno mobster<\/p>\n

Nelson \u201cSpanish G\u201d Alvarez<\/p>\n

Louis \u201cLou Ap\u201d Apicella<\/p>\n

Ammar \u201cFlapper Poker\u201d Awawdeh<\/p>\n

Saul Becher \u2014 professional poker player<\/p>\n

Chauncey Billups \u2014 Portland Trail Blazers coach, NBA Hall of Famer and 2004 NBA champion<\/p>\n

Matthew \u201cThe Wrestler\u201d Daddino<\/p>\n

Eric \u201cSpooky\u201d Earnest<\/p>\n

Lee Fama \u2014 professional poker player<\/p>\n

John Gallo<\/p>\n

Marco Garzon<\/p>\n

Thomas \u201cTommy Juice\u201d Gelardo \u2014 reputed Lucchese mobster charged in 2013 for\u00a0beating porn star girlfriend<\/a><\/p>\n

Jamie Gilet<\/p>\n

Tony \u201cBlack Tony\u201d Goodson<\/p>\n

Kenny Han<\/p>\n

Shane \u201cSugar\u201d Henne<\/p>\n

Osman \u201cAlbanian Bruce\u201d Hoti<\/p>\n

Horatio Hu<\/p>\n

Zhen \u201cScruli\u201d Hu<\/p>\n

Damon \u201cDee Jones\u201d Jones \u2014 NBA player from 1998 to 2009<\/p>\n

Joseph Lanni<\/p>\n

John \u201cJohn South\u201d Mazzola<\/p>\n

Curtis Meeks<\/p>\n

Nicholas Minucci<\/p>\n

Michael Renzulli<\/p>\n

Anthony Ruggiero Jr.<\/p>\n

Anthony \u201cDoc\u201d Shnayderman<\/p>\n

Robert \u201cBlack Rob\u201d Stroud<\/p>\n

Seth Trustman<\/p>\n

Sophia \u201cPookie\u201d Wei<\/p>\n

Julius Ziliani<\/p>\n

He was later arrested for allegedly buying and selling several pounds of marijuana.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s now accused of\u00a0getting proceeds from the rigged card games on behalf of the Gambino crime family.<\/p>\n

Nicholas \u201cFat Nick\u201d Minucci \u2014 a Gambino associate who was convicted of beating a black kid with a baseball bat while shouting the N-word in 2005 \u2014 was also busted in the NBA gambling case.<\/p>\n

Nicholas \u201cFat Nick\u201d Minucci was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a hate crime in 2006. WARD, JESSE \u2013 FREELANCE \u2013 NYDN<\/p>\n

Minucci, 39, of East Northport, was convicted of the hate crime<\/a> after chasing down battery victim Glenn Moore.<\/p>\n

At the time, Fat Nick claimed he was not a bigot and said he only chased down Moore because he thought he\u2019d come to Howard Beach to steal cars. He was ultimately sentenced to 15 years in prison.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s now accused of participating on \u201ccheating teams\u201d during the rigged\u00a0card games.<\/p>\n

Photos of computer programs and an x-ray table used to allegedly rig poker games. US Attorney \/ EDNY<\/p>\n

A photo from the indictment showing a shuffler used for the allegedly rigged poker games. US Attorney \/ EDNY<\/p>\n

Matthew \u201cThe Wrestler\u201d Daddino \u2014 a hulking newbie Genovese made man and former star high school wrestler from Long Island\u2014 was also indicted during the historic gambling bust.<\/p>\n

Daddino is \u201ca recently inducted member\u201d and \u201crising star\u201d of the crime family, Gangland News reported<\/a> in March 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He\u2019s accused of receiving cash from the rigged card games on behalf of\u00a0 the Genovese family.<\/p>\n

In total, 13 alleged members and associates of the Bonanno, Gambino, Lucchese, and Genovese\u00a0crime families were arrested in the gambling and sports betting bust. Among other reputed gangsters charged was Thomas \u201cTommy Juice\u201d Gelardo, who received proceeds on behalf of the Bonanno family.<\/p>\n

Other suspects with suspicious names were also busted, including Ammar \u201cFlapper Poker\u201d Awawdeh, Zhen \u201cScruli\u201d Hu and Robert \u201cBlack Rob\u201d Stroud who helped organize the games and Tony \u201cBlack Tony\u201d Goodson and Shane \u201cSugar\u201d Hennen who helped supply the marks. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The son of a legendary mafia capo, a newbie made man and a mobster who did time for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14719,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[303,6238,10429,6239,10378,9,11,10,58],"class_list":{"0":"post-14718","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york","8":"tag-crime","9":"tag-gambinos","10":"tag-gambling","11":"tag-mafia","12":"tag-nba-gambling-scandal-2025","13":"tag-new-york","14":"tag-new-york-headlines","15":"tag-new-york-news","16":"tag-us-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14718"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14718\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14719"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}