Operation ‘Shore Bet’ takes down “sophisticated” gambling enterprise

In a week that saw the death of New Jersey’s most infamous, albeit fictional, mobster, we learn that a joint law enforcement task force has broken up an illegal gambling ring that was estimated to gross up to $1 million per week.  The joint investigation involved cooperation from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, and the Asbury Park, Deal, Freehold Township, Howell, Marlboro, Ocean, Red Bank and Wall police departments.

According to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni, operation “Shore Bet” resulted in 22 arrests, with three persons at-large and deemed fugitives.  The investigation occurred over an 18-month period.  In addition to the arrests, authorities seized dozens of vehicles and more than half a million dollars in cash. Gramiccioni said financial accounts used in the gambling ring were frozen as well.

The operation was allegedly run by Richard Crossan, 55, of Hillsborough, and Anthony Gagliardi, 38, of Monmouth Beach. The men are charged with using websites to track illegal wagering and record profits and losses.  Gamblers from Monmouth, Somerset, Essex and Hudson counties placed bets with the ring.  Authorities said it involved gamblers from New York as well.  “With these operations, one of the biggest successes are not only arresting people that are involved in criminal activity, but the severe disruption and dismantling of this organization that this investigation accomplished,” Gramiccioni said.

More charges are likely as authorities said some involved in the gambling ring also sold drugs to an undercover prosecutor’s office detective.  At the home of suspect Anthony Carlesimo, authorities found about two pounds of marijuana and around 50 oxycodone pills, more than $23,000 in cash, and digital scales and other drug paraphernalia.

The most high profile suspect is Toms River Department of Public Works Deputy Director Anthony Benyola, from whom authorities seized a 2009 BMW 750 series and a 2011 Lexus LX5.  He has since been suspended from his public duties.  Three fugitives are still at large. They are Edward Cichoski, 60, of Wall, Pasquale Dellomo, 41, of Miami, Fla., and Nuno C. Oliveira, 38, of Asbury Park.

Many people consider gambling to be a relatively harmless vice. As we have seen though, all too often illegal activity begets more illegal activity. As the case is here, this was more than harmless fun on a few sports games. It is also alleged to involve massive quantities of illegal narcotics as well as law breaking by government officials.  Tony Soprano would be proud.