The son of a legendary mob capo, a rookie man and a gangster who served time for an infamous racial attack in Queens were among 13 reputed mobsters arrested alongside NBA stars in a sweeping landmark gambling case, according to a new federal indictment.
Among the most prominent gangsters involved in these high-stakes scams is Angelo Ruggiero Jr., the son of the late Gambino captain Angelo “Quack Quack” Ruggiero Sr.
Ruggiero Jr's father was a close friend of notorious Gambino boss John Gotti, who helped plan the murder of Gambino leader Paul Castellano in 1985.
When Gotti became head of the crime family, he promoted Ruggiero, who then served as the family's liaison while Gotti was on trial for murder in 1992.
The gangster — who earned his Duck nickname because of his penchant for talking a lot and famously threatening to feed people to sharks — became infamous because the federal government wiretapped him to complain about his mob bosses and used his comments in the case against Castellano.
The young Ruggiero, who is also an accomplished man, is now accused of having received the “profits” from rigged poker games “on behalf of the Gambino crime family”.
A second smartass arrested for his alleged role in the FBI's gambling and poker investigation is Ernest “Ernie” Aiello – who made headlines for asking in court how he could avoid mob connections and still eat at his favorite Italian bakery in 2018.
The 43-year-old Bonanno family gangster was arrested on loan sharking, gambling and drug charges in July 2013, but was ultimately released after a mistrial in May 2017.
At a court hearing the following year, a judge warned him not to commiserate with other gangsters — which Aiello said could ruin his breakfast, since he frequents a beloved Italian bakery in Brooklyn.
The judge, in turn, warned him to just keep his visits to Fortunato Brothers Café in Williamsburg short and sweet, according to the Daily News.
He is now accused of receiving a portion of the proceeds of crime from rigged poker games on behalf of the Bonanno crime family.
Broken Gambino smartass Lee Fama, meanwhile, has a history of cleaning up at the poker table.
In 2012, while the Drug Enforcement Administration was investigating him on drug charges, he won big playing poker at casinos in Vegas and Atlantic City, the Post reported at the time.
Fama raked in more than $22,000 in poker tournaments at Atlantic City's Borgata and $666 at a Rio hotel in Las Vegas as Drug Enforcement Administration officials investigated him for conspiring to distribute marijuana in 2012.
He was later arrested for allegedly buying and selling several pounds of marijuana.
He is now accused of obtaining profits from rigged card games on behalf of the Gambino crime family.
Nicholas “Fat Nick” Minucci – a Gambino associate who was convicted of beating a black child with a baseball bat while shouting the N-word in 2005 – was also arrested in the NBA gambling case.
Minucci, 39, of East Northport, was convicted of a hate crime after chasing down assault victim Glenn Moore.
At the time, Fat Nick claimed he was not a bigot and said he only chased Moore because he thought he came to Howard Beach to steal cars. He was ultimately sentenced to 15 years in prison.
He is now accused of participating in “cheating teams” during rigged card games.
Matthew “The Wrestler” Daddino – a towering Genovese rookie and former star high school wrestler from Long Island – was also indicted in the historic gambling crisis.
Daddino is a “recently inducted member” and “rising star” of the crime family.
He is accused of receiving money from rigged card games in the name of the Genovese family.
A total of 13 alleged members and associates of the Bonanno, Gambino, Lucchese and Genovese crime families were arrested in connection with the gambling and sports betting bust. Other reputed gangsters indicted included Thomas “Tommy Juice” Gelardo, who received benefits on behalf of the Bonanno family.
Other suspects with suspicious names were also arrested, including Ammar “Flapper Poker” Awawdeh, Zhen “Scruli” Hu and Robert “Black Rob” Stroud who helped organize the games and Tony “Black Tony” Goodson and Shane “Sugar” Hennen who helped supply the marks.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/23/us-news/from-the-son-of-a-legendary-mafia-capo-to-a-wiseguy-poker-pro-these-are-the-mobsters-charged-in-the-nba-gambling-scandal/
