Who were the NYC mobsters busted in NBA poker scheme?
Among the most prominent of the gangsters who were dealt into the high-stakes scams is Angelo Ruggiero Jr, the son of the late Gambino captain Angelo “Quack Quack” Ruggiero Sr.
Ruggiero Jr’s father was close friends with 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 later acted as a liaison for the family while Gotti stood trial for murder in 1992.
The gangster — who earned his ducky nickname because of his penchant for talking a lot and who did things like threaten to feed people to sharks — became infamous because the feds picked him up on wiretaps complaining about his mob bosses and used his comments in case against Castellano.
The younger Ruggiero, who is also a made man, now stands accused of receiving “proceeds” of the rigged poker games “on behalf of the Gambino crime family.”
A second wiseguy arrested for his alleged role in the FBI’s gambling and poker probe is Ernest “Ernie” Aiello — who made headlines for inquiring in court about how he can avoid mob ties and still eat at his favorite Italian bakery back in 2018.
The 43-year-old Bonanno crime family mobster was busted for loansharking, gambling and drug dealing in July 2013, but ultimately walked free after a mistrial in May 2017.
During a court hearing the next year, a judge warned him not to commiserate with fellow mobsters —which Aiello said may spoil his breakfast, since he frequents a beloved Italian bakery in Brooklyn.
The judge, in turn, warned him to simply keep his visits to Fortunato Brothers Cafe in Williamsburg short and sweet, according to the Daily News.
He’s now accused of receiving a portion of the criminal proceeds from the rigged poker games on behalf of the Bonanno crime family.
Busted Gambino wiseguy Lee Fama, meanwhile, has a history of cleaning up at the poker table.
In 2012, as the Drug Enforcement Administration probed him for 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 at poker tournaments at the Borgata in Atlantic City and $666 at a Las Vegas’s Rio hotel as Drug Enforcement Administration officials probed him for conspiring to distribute marijuana in 2012.
He was later arrested for allegedly buying and selling several pounds of marijuana.
He’s now accused of getting proceeds from the rigged card games on behalf of the Gambino crime family.
Nicholas “Fat Nick” Minucci — a Gambino associate who was convicted of beating a black kid with a baseball bat while shouting the N-word in 2005 — was also busted in the NBA gambling case.
Minucci, 39, of East Northport, was convicted of the hate crime after chasing down battery victim Glenn Moore.
At the time, Fat Nick claimed he was not a bigot and said he only chased down Moore because he thought he’d come to Howard Beach to steal cars. He was ultimately sentenced to 15 years in prison.
He’s now accused of participating on “cheating teams” during the rigged card games.
Matthew “The Wrestler” Daddino — a hulking newbie Genovese made man and former star high school wrestler from Long Island— was also indicted during the historic gambling bust.
Daddino is “a recently inducted member” and “rising star” of the crime family.
He’s accused of receiving cash from the rigged card games on behalf of the Genovese family.
In total, 13 alleged members and associates of the Bonanno, Gambino, Lucchese, and Genovese crime families were arrested in the gambling and sports betting bust. Among other reputed gangsters charged was Thomas “Tommy Juice” Gelardo, who received proceeds on behalf of the Bonanno family.
Other suspects with suspicious names were also busted, 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/
