Hoist By His Own Laptop (Update)
Published: Friday, November 17, 2006 Online-Casinos.com
HOIST BY HIS OWN LAPTOP (Update)
How police uncovered the big sports betting bust
The Miami publication All Headline News this week gave an insight into how the Playwithal sports betting bust was initiated by a police informant and confirmed by covert access to a laptop used by the main accused in the case.
The computer laptop of Miami resident James Giordano led police to uncover the billion dollar online gambling ring.
Police received a tip in 2005 that initiated the investigation, claims AHN. A search warrant was obtained in June, and police gained access to Giordano's computer laptop while he was attending a wedding in New York. Officials were able to make a copy of the hard drive from the computer.
The Miami Herald reports that the laptop was the key to the billion-dollar-a-year illegal gambling kingdom.
"Giordano, who rarely let the computer out of his sight, left it behind earlier this year in New York while attending a wedding," the Herald reports. "But in the three hours he and his wife were away from their Long Island hotel room, investigators armed with a search warrant and computer expertise sneaked in, found the laptop on a desk and made a digital copy of the hard drive.
"The covert operation on June 15 helped unlock a sophisticated Internet-based gambling scheme that has taken in $3.3 billion in cash wagers from 40,000 bettors nationwide since 2004, authorities said. They announced charges against Giordano, 26 other defendants and three companies, including one in Hollywood and another in Davie."
The information was used to initiate and build a case that stretched over four states.
Local police departments and FBI agents coordinated the busts. The investigation culminated in the arrests of 27 people from Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Nevada in connection with the online gambling ring.
Giordano was arrested in Miami, and another top ring leader, Frank Falzarono, was arrested in New York for their involvements in the illegal operation.
Gambling records, computers, millions of dollars in cash, condos, jewelry, coins and collectibles have been seized from those who were arrested.
Various charges laid included illegal gambling operations, corruption and money laundering.
According to the Sun-Sentinel, two Florida companies and one New York company were also charged in relation to the gambling operation. These companies allegedly helped Giordano with technical computer support for the restricted format of the gambling operation's website. The betting operation had a restricted entry and low profile in order to avoid detection by recent federal laws.
