Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
More than 150 state and federal law enforcement officers conducted raids in northwest Indiana on Wednesday following a federal grand jury’s indictment of 22 individuals on illegal gambling charges.
According to a recently unsealed indictment, filed April 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, James Gerodemos and Dean Gialamas, owners of Paragon Restaurant and Gino’s Steakhouse in Lake County, spearheaded an illegal sports betting business from about January 2021 through this month.
The Indiana Gaming Commission’s Law Enforcement Division launched the investigation into the operation two years ago, looking into illegal activity ranging from bookmaking to extortion to money laundering, according to the IGC.
“Today marks the culmination of a lengthy, complex and collaborative investigation,” IGC Law Enforcement Superintendent Brock Pilgrim said in a press release on Thursday. “The indictments, arrest and search warrants all send a clear message: Those who attempt to corrupt the integrity of licensed gaming operations in Indiana will be held accountable.”
The operation, referred to in the indictment as the Gerodemos Gambling Organization, allegedly used internet websites, including www.abcwagering.ag and www.gardencitybets.com, telephone numbers and text messaging to conduct its bookmaking activities.
According to the indictment, one example of the organization’s betting methods was widespread sales of National Football League Super Bowl line pool betting cards, with cards ranging from $500 to $25,000 per line, which reportedly raised between $700,000 to $900,000 for each annual Super Bowl game.
Indiana Code § 35-45-5-3 establishes engaging in bookmaking and pool-selling as professional gambling, a Level 6 felony.
Federal law defines an illegal gambling business as a gambling business that violates a state’s law, involves five or more people who conduct, finance, manage or direct the operation, and has been in operation for more than 30 days or has a gross revenue of $2,000 in any single day. Violating the federal law can land someone no more than five years in prison.
The indictment said the organization used Gino’s Steakhouse and Paragon Restaurant to facilitate the gambling operations through collecting and transferring proceeds.
The organization tried to hide its bookmaking activities by using various aliases, bank accounts, several business entities and payments disguised as business expenses or loans, the indictment stated.
Along with operating an illegal gambling business, prosecutors also variously charged the defendants with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion, conspiracy to commit money laundering and transmission of wagering information.
Aside from Gerodemos, also known as “Jimmy the Greek,” and Gialamas, “Dean Gem,” the other defendants are:
- Chris Gerodemos
- Basam Fawzi Ibrahim, or “Donny Brasco”
- Sanad Walid Ibrahim, “Sanad Taka”
- Peter Pavlopoulos, “Pete Goodys”
- Filippo Rovito, “Gigi”
- Michael Campbell, “Michael Way Out” and “Chuckie Hoffa”
- 9. Ehab Mustafa, “Eddie”
- Steve Armenta
- Samuel Nuzzo
- Alexander Gagianas, “Alex Gyros”
- Gus Kaporis, “Deans Runner”
- Rami Mansour, “Rami Straight Flush”
- Nenad Radoja, “Butch Hunkee”
- Marcus Vladimir Ganz, “Vladimir Ganz”
- Paul Franze, “Paulie Scarf”
- Athena Olga Gerodemos
- Elias Chris Gerodemos
- James Strezovski, “Jim Macedonian”
- Andrew Nguyen, “Ceasars Andrew”
- Giuseppe Manzi, “Joe Polozzo”
The case is United States of America v. James L. Gerodemos et al. (2:26-cr-00069)
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.