Carmelo Polito, a former acting captain and soldier in the Genovese crime family, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for racketeering. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. Polito's charges were linked to operating an illegal gambling business at Gran Caffé in Lynbrook, Long Island, and attempting to extort an individual involved in a separate online sports betting business.
The announcement of the sentence was made by Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office; and Anne T. Donnelly, Nassau County District Attorney.
“Today’s sentence makes clear to the defendant that the outcome for participating in illegal gambling and making extortionate threats is the loss of something very valuable — your freedom,” stated United States Attorney Peace. He credited prosecutors and law enforcement for their efforts in disrupting operations between the Genovese and Bonanno organized crime families.
FBI Assistant Director Dennehy commented on Polito's activities: “The cards did not favor Carmelo Polito's illicit gambling parlor or his extortionate methods.” He added that these activities financed two crime families' operations.
District Attorney Donnelly noted that Polito operated illegal gambling businesses funneling money into organized crime within Nassau County. “Extortion, threats, and violence have no place in Nassau County," she stated.
Polito has been associated with several illegal gambling operations managed by both Genovese and Bonanno families since at least May 2012. These operations included a profitable parlor inside Gran Caffé as well as other establishments like Sal’s Shoe Repair and Centro Calcio Italiano Club.
Additionally, Polito ran an illegal online gambling scheme through PGWLines alongside co-defendant Mark Feuer. In this venture, he attempted to extort money from a debtor using threats of violence.
Polito is the first among several defendants involved with this case awaiting sentencing. His co-defendants Joseph Macario (also known as "Joe Fish"), Salvatore Rubino ("Sal the Shoemaker"), Joseph Rutigliano ("Joe Box"), and Mark Feuer are yet to be sentenced.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tanya Hajjar, Drew Rolle, Anna Karamigios, Sean M. Sherman with Paralegal Specialist Eleanor Jaffe-Pachuilo assisting.