JIGGS wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2019 10:50 am
Here's an article from 4 years ago focusing on a husband and wife team who operated the Bolita. Both of them supposedly answer to a higher power.
"Louis is employed by what he calls “the big guys” or “the big people.” “They” call to give him the winning numbers, “they” rake in millions of dollars, “they” have the money handy when somebody miraculously wins big. And it’s “they” who operate about 200 such gambling dens in the city. Louis speaks of “them” with great respect and even a hint of fear. When I ask him about those “big people,” he tells me in a conspiratorial voice, “It’s the Italian Mafia. They’re all Italians.”
Bolita is Spanish for “little ball.” There was a major bolita bust in New York in 2004, when the former “big people,” all of them Hispanic, were indicted and the organization was dismantled. According to Louis, this is when the Mob stepped in. "
That's the article I was trying to find because of that reference about the Italian Mafia. Obviously take it with a healthy serving of salt, considering it's an anecdote on the internet.
Anyway, it brings up the question - if the Mafia took over more of the numbers racket after the 2004 Corporation bust, why have mob numbers cases dropped off?
JIGGS wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2019 10:50 am
Here's an article from 4 years ago focusing on a husband and wife team who operated the Bolita. Both of them supposedly answer to a higher power.
"Louis is employed by what he calls “the big guys” or “the big people.” “They” call to give him the winning numbers, “they” rake in millions of dollars, “they” have the money handy when somebody miraculously wins big. And it’s “they” who operate about 200 such gambling dens in the city. Louis speaks of “them” with great respect and even a hint of fear. When I ask him about those “big people,” he tells me in a conspiratorial voice, “It’s the Italian Mafia. They’re all Italians.”
Bolita is Spanish for “little ball.” There was a major bolita bust in New York in 2004, when the former “big people,” all of them Hispanic, were indicted and the organization was dismantled. According to Louis, this is when the Mob stepped in. "
That's the article I was trying to find because of that reference about the Italian Mafia. Obviously take it with a healthy serving of salt, considering it's an anecdote on the internet.
Anyway, it brings up the question - if the Mafia took over more of the numbers racket after the 2004 Corporation bust, why have mob numbers cases dropped off?
I'd say, from LEOs I've spoken to, that numbers is simply not that big or widespread anymore. It's mainly confined to poorer, immigrant 'hoods, unlike sports betting.
In Tampa,during the slow burn years of bolita in the late 70s/early 80s, before the lottery took it away, the feds didn't even bother. It was left to Tampa vice. Sports betting was a different story. The feds actively pursued that (along with the FDLE).
Uncle Pete wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2019 9:15 am
Exactly! The legal lottery saturated the market! Even in immigrant and low Income communities, every store has the legal lottery. Its everywhere!
The legal lottery was a way to tax low income people and working class people, with a smaller percentage of middle class people playing. It's a tax on the poor who are under the taxable income, , and an extra tax on working people.
Uncle Pete wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2019 9:15 am
Exactly! The legal lottery saturated the market! Even in immigrant and low Income communities, every store has the legal lottery. Its everywhere!
The legal lottery was a way to tax low income people and working class people, with a smaller percentage of middle class people playing. It's a tax on the poor who are under the taxable income, , and an extra tax on working people.
Voluntary tax? Or counting on their stupidity?
Not voluntary as much as coerced into to. People are desperate to get out of poverty or to have a chance at getting rich and not having to break their ass
day after day to get ahead. They have ads and signs up all around, and you can't walk anywhere without seeing lottery ads tempting people. I play only occasionally.
Stupidity? In many cases, yes, but my point is the government took a game that was played casually and in way people could afford without going broke, and turned it into one of the biggest gambling vices under the guise of fighting crime and helping people.
JIGGS wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2019 10:50 am
Here's an article from 4 years ago focusing on a husband and wife team who operated the Bolita. Both of them supposedly answer to a higher power.
"Louis is employed by what he calls “the big guys” or “the big people.” “They” call to give him the winning numbers, “they” rake in millions of dollars, “they” have the money handy when somebody miraculously wins big. And it’s “they” who operate about 200 such gambling dens in the city. Louis speaks of “them” with great respect and even a hint of fear. When I ask him about those “big people,” he tells me in a conspiratorial voice, “It’s the Italian Mafia. They’re all Italians.”
Bolita is Spanish for “little ball.” There was a major bolita bust in New York in 2004, when the former “big people,” all of them Hispanic, were indicted and the organization was dismantled. According to Louis, this is when the Mob stepped in. "
That writer is a sucker if she thinks they kick back to Italians. I think she is trying to get more attention for her story. She's more busy trying to show she's liberal, and even gives us a totally unneeded Eric Garner reference in the end.
JIGGS wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2019 10:50 am
Here's an article from 4 years ago focusing on a husband and wife team who operated the Bolita. Both of them supposedly answer to a higher power.
"Louis is employed by what he calls “the big guys” or “the big people.” “They” call to give him the winning numbers, “they” rake in millions of dollars, “they” have the money handy when somebody miraculously wins big. And it’s “they” who operate about 200 such gambling dens in the city. Louis speaks of “them” with great respect and even a hint of fear. When I ask him about those “big people,” he tells me in a conspiratorial voice, “It’s the Italian Mafia. They’re all Italians.”
Bolita is Spanish for “little ball.” There was a major bolita bust in New York in 2004, when the former “big people,” all of them Hispanic, were indicted and the organization was dismantled. According to Louis, this is when the Mob stepped in. "
That's the article I was trying to find because of that reference about the Italian Mafia. Obviously take it with a healthy serving of salt, considering it's an anecdote on the internet.
Anyway, it brings up the question - if the Mafia took over more of the numbers racket after the 2004 Corporation bust, why have mob numbers cases dropped off?
Only reason I shared it coz it was a recent article (Last few years type) and a sign that tat type of racket goes on. It does have some theatrical like shit about it. The whole "that's when the mob stepped in" is all drama. As if they had just entered into a new found biz. That aside it gives clues about the reality. Gambling dens. Floating casinos. The numbers racket overall. All of its a reality in nyc. But busts for it all are way down when you compare it to the old days. Far as I can tell. Last one was that case with Patsy P and his crew who had a card game up in the bronx or somewhere. In nyc the cops are'nt even making arrests for carrying a joint anymore. Imagine that? The ny mayor went full yippie. Anyway getting back to the daily you can't look at the numbers from the pov of the way Max Stern described it with all due the respect. Who's going by how italians are living in the suburbs nowadays. That and the street got nothing to do with each other. Historically a made guy profits off a caper that isn't in a italian community. Its not new and was always the norm. Despite what the maxie wrote theres a history between a wiseguy element and street guys who ain't italian or even white. So the whole idear of they don't mingle with us and we don't break bread with them, yeah thats true overall. But not in criminal shit. Money brings it all together. I can BELIEVE that a spanish guy working a daily (though not necessary to be this chico in the article) would answer to a connected guy. Only since theres a history of that happening, you know. This kid in the article is probably bullshit because if uts true in his case it won't be too hard for the wiseguy he says he works for to figure out who this spanish kid is in the article. He's basicly exposing the whole operation talking to this broad. Even though that was back a few years. He was jepardizing it THEN.
I just don't think the le gives a shit about the numbers anymore. When was the last daily you read about that the local coppers took down? The one there talking about in that article was almost 20 years ago. And maybe they did make a recent bust. It just aint big news. Don't the feds have most a there funding working on investigating arabs and the border and russians and these M80 kid gangs and trumps cock and who he sticks it in and all the other shit? They aint gonna waste paperwork raiding a bodega when le knows their cut goes in to paying the rent there and npt some other nafarius dealings. All I know is that it makes money. If you get busted you do less than a nickel, owe or pay a fine. Life goes on. Its also an avenue for the sharks to lend money or offer "protection" to a daily and keep the baby dillingers away. Not that they care much who a daily is under.
JIGGS wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2019 10:50 am
Here's an article from 4 years ago focusing on a husband and wife team who operated the Bolita. Both of them supposedly answer to a higher power.
"Louis is employed by what he calls “the big guys” or “the big people.” “They” call to give him the winning numbers, “they” rake in millions of dollars, “they” have the money handy when somebody miraculously wins big. And it’s “they” who operate about 200 such gambling dens in the city. Louis speaks of “them” with great respect and even a hint of fear. When I ask him about those “big people,” he tells me in a conspiratorial voice, “It’s the Italian Mafia. They’re all Italians.”
Bolita is Spanish for “little ball.” There was a major bolita bust in New York in 2004, when the former “big people,” all of them Hispanic, were indicted and the organization was dismantled. According to Louis, this is when the Mob stepped in. "
That's the article I was trying to find because of that reference about the Italian Mafia. Obviously take it with a healthy serving of salt, considering it's an anecdote on the internet.
Anyway, it brings up the question - if the Mafia took over more of the numbers racket after the 2004 Corporation bust, why have mob numbers cases dropped off?
Only reason I shared it coz it was a recent article (Last few years type) and a sign that tat type of racket goes on. It does have some theatrical like shit about it. The whole "that's when the mob stepped in" is all drama. As if they had just entered into a new found biz. That aside it gives clues about the reality. Gambling dens. Floating casinos. The numbers racket overall. All of its a reality in nyc. But busts for it all are way down when you compare it to the old days. Far as I can tell. Last one was that case with Patsy P and his crew who had a card game up in the bronx or somewhere. In nyc the cops are'nt even making arrests for carrying a joint anymore. Imagine that? The ny mayor went full yippie. Anyway getting back to the daily you can't look at the numbers from the pov of the way Max Stern described it with all due the respect. Who's going by how italians are living in the suburbs nowadays. That and the street got nothing to do with each other. Historically a made guy profits off a caper that isn't in a italian community. Its not new and was always the norm. Despite what the maxie wrote theres a history between a wiseguy element and street guys who ain't italian or even white. So the whole idear of they don't mingle with us and we don't break bread with them, yeah thats true overall. But not in criminal shit. Money brings it all together. I can BELIEVE that a spanish guy working a daily (though not necessary to be this chico in the article) would answer to a connected guy. Only since theres a history of that happening, you know. This kid in the article is probably bullshit because if uts true in his case it won't be too hard for the wiseguy he says he works for to figure out who this spanish kid is in the article. He's basicly exposing the whole operation talking to this broad. Even though that was back a few years. He was jepardizing it THEN.
I just don't think the le gives a shit about the numbers anymore. When was the last daily you read about that the local coppers took down? The one there talking about in that article was almost 20 years ago. And maybe they did make a recent bust. It just aint big news. Don't the feds have most a there funding working on investigating arabs and the border and russians and these M80 kid gangs and trumps cock and who he sticks it in and all the other shit? They aint gonna waste paperwork raiding a bodega when le knows their cut goes in to paying the rent there and npt some other nafarius dealings. All I know is that it makes money. If you get busted you do less than a nickel, owe or pay a fine. Life goes on. Its also an avenue for the sharks to lend money or offer "protection" to a daily and keep the baby dillingers away. Not that they care much who a daily is under.
JIGGS
The last mob gambling bust was in July 2018 and involved a sports bookmaking operation run by a couple Colombo members.
I would also add that over the past 20 years, except for a handful of exceptions, we haven't seen mob cases that solely targeted a numbers operation. Almost always we've seen numbers charges included in larger overall cases.
In other words, because we haven't seen numbers among the charges in mob case after mob case for several years now; while we have continued to see other forms of gambling among the charges, that brings up the question.
Thanks a lot buddy. You just posted the real deal. See what they describe? THAT sounds more like it. Not the tj english bullshit. Like I mentioned on the old message board and I think on this one those guys were mom and pop in the '70s. Like every others indie. They was nothing special. This case you posted describes it. Rydz, who I never heard of before unless there talkibg about Abie Irizarry who was a lower east side guy that had a big game, had the cubeeps absorb with his caper. If battle was so big that would not have happened. You never heard of the Dinapolis absorbing anyone huh? That should indicate to everyone them guys were still fob. Fresh off the boat. Some familiar names I see are Earl 'Boo' Robinson who was born in jamaica but passed himself off as a white spanish guy. He looked a bit like that bald security guy from jerry springer show but just a wee bit darker complected. He and his sister were pissed at each other for years before he passed on account of there old man who started the operation in nyc during the truman presidency that boo took over left them both that big house in florida. But of course Boo took the house for himself. As the living relative she was entitled to the house in florida but didnt respond to cprrespondence asking her to claim it. Fucking city took it and razed it. The other person I wanna point out is POZO. Pozo was the son of Lino Pozo who ran a social club on 116 street on the west side before we was born. That's a theme for this racket. The daily's are literally family operations. Guy running a game usually has an uncle or grandfather or old man who ran their own biz back in their day. The Pozos were not cuban. They were porto ricans. Which is the reality about this cuban mafia bullshit. The term 'cuban' is a lot like the "westies"or "ny purple gang.' Anybody selling junk that's italian gets stereotyped into being part of a made up drug gang. Any irishers B'eing and E'ing or selling coke in the kitchen is automatically a ny Westie, a term invented by le and caughton with the fucking ny post. You could be a mexican ese from san quentin, california. But if you get caught up in a bolita case in jersey or florida you get lumped in to the CUBAN corporation. It's ALL bullshit! The case that o.g. posted also shows the cuban corporates was in decline by the 1990s. THAT sounds about right to me. Spmebody has to write a book about the other players. The unamed rival bolita operations in the case is definitely the Marquez Brothers, ray & bob. They had upper broadway and lower harlem locked down. Another reference that points to a truth is the case mentioning the 2 block rule. Corporation didnt start that shit. The WISEGUYS created that rule, enforced it, and EVERYBODY followed. Or your spot was a fire hazard. If the Cubagees were enforcing the 2 block rule they was following italian cosa nostra protocol. because they HAD to. Everyonewas on board. So all that talk about the cuban mafia resisting and being a threat to the mob is not a real history. They played the game by the rules. Its new york. Not cuba. I don't even think those guys were 20 people. The corporation. They make it sound like its 1000 enforcers and operators. Its husband and wife senior citizens running a game. They had some bitch doing the books for christ sakes. Come on! There so big and bad? She flipped on them. Give me a break.
Wiseguy wrote: ↑Sun Sep 01, 2019 5:42 pm
The last mob gambling bust was in July 2018 and involved a sports bookmaking operation run by a couple Colombo members.
I was talking about a wiseguy run casino. Last one I read about that got busted was the East Coast LCN bullshit. The one that snagged Merlino, rooster and patsy, and company.
I would also add that over the past 20 years, except for a handful of exceptions, we haven't seen mob cases that solely targeted a numbers operation. Almost always we've seen numbers charges included in larger overall cases.
Any idea when the last one connected to the m.o.b. was? Who would that have been? Those guys from jersey with the west side? What's his name? Used to run with the Zicarellis in bayonne. Him?
In other words, because we haven't seen numbers among the charges in mob case after mob case for several years now; while we have continued to see other forms of gambling among the charges, that brings up the question.
I hear ya. But I reason it with the fact that we also don't see a lot of individual cases targeting mob guys in the sex industry. I think the last one was that disgraceful case with the gambinos and some under age whore they was pimping out. Marino and them guys. There's brothels, sex clubs, strip clubs, massage parlors, s&m all over new york. Believe you me! It's crazy to think the mob controls it all. It's even more crazier to think they're not involved at all in the industry. Besides like I mentioned forget the mob, where are the raids, cases, inditements revolved around the numbers racket run by the chinese or kardashians? Even the guys on here who say its a passe thing for the mob all agree its confined to the ethnics. That means it exists. But where are the busts? I'm telling ya there looking the other way. Same shit happened in the 70s. Going after the numbers is like trying to win a land war in vietnam. The uppity ups probably told the flatfoots down below forget about all that shit. Don't fuck with the stats. Were good. Safest city in america and all. Just put the dope on the table and smile for the cameras. If a media magnet like gotti was around and ran a game THEN you'd see an indictment. But a guy like the late Punchy Iliano? Blast? The couch potatos dont know who that is.
JIGGS wrote: ↑Sun Sep 01, 2019 7:19 pmI was talking about a wiseguy run casino. Last one I read about that got busted was the East Coast LCN bullshit. The one that snagged Merlino, rooster and patsy, and company.
Yeah, that 2016 bust was the most recent one to involve casino style gambling.
Oh, and I need to correct myself. The last gambling bust in general was this past January and involved Genovese associates running a bookmaking operation in Rockland County.
Any idea when the last one connected to the m.o.b. was? Who would that have been? Those guys from jersey with the west side? What's his name? Used to run with the Zicarellis in bayonne. Him?
The last mob numbers bust I'm aware if was in 2011. It was 37 people, including Gambino soldiers Vincent Romano and James "Tree Top" Outerie, and included bookmaking, loansharking, and extortion charges; as well as a numbers operation that reportedly took in $40,000 a week.
I hear ya. But I reason it with the fact that we also don't see a lot of individual cases targeting mob guys in the sex industry. I think the last one was that disgraceful case with the gambinos and some under age whore they was pimping out. Marino and them guys. There's brothels, sex clubs, strip clubs, massage parlors, s&m all over new york. Believe you me! It's crazy to think the mob controls it all. It's even more crazier to think they're not involved at all in the industry. Besides like I mentioned forget the mob, where are the raids, cases, inditements revolved around the numbers racket run by the chinese or kardashians? Even the guys on here who say its a passe thing for the mob all agree its confined to the ethnics. That means it exists. But where are the busts? I'm telling ya there looking the other way. Same shit happened in the 70s. Going after the numbers is like trying to win a land war in vietnam. The uppity ups probably told the flatfoots down below forget about all that shit. Don't fuck with the stats. Were good. Safest city in america and all. Just put the dope on the table and smile for the cameras. If a media magnet like gotti was around and ran a game THEN you'd see an indictment. But a guy like the late Punchy Iliano? Blast? The couch potatos dont know who that is.
JIGGS
When it comes to the sex trade, unless you want to count the Bonanno Xcess strip club case in 2018 or Gambino Touch strip clubs case in 2017, the last one was in 2016 when Gambino associate Michael Rizzi (relative of Gambino captain Joseph “Sonny” Juliano) was charged with running multi-million dollar prostitution operation through BJM/Manhattan Stakes and Entertainment which employed high-end escorts, telephone bookers, drivers and advertised on over 50 websites. Rizzi was also reported to own the Nitecap Megastore & Smoke Shop on Staten Island, considered the largest supplier of porn and adult toys on the East Coast.
1. Bolita
The Defendants were part of an organized crime enterprise (the
Corporation) that ran “bolita,” a numbers gambling operation in New York and
New Jersey. The organization was devoted to making as much money as possible –
especially for those at the top – through numerous bolita gambling locations. It
also existed to protect that money by any means necessary. The indictment charges
that the conspiracy began in 1964, and involved the commission of a variety of
predicate acts, including murder, arson, and money-laundering. Jose Battle, Sr.
was at various times the head of the Corporation and was the father and codefendant of Battle, Jr., who also played a leadership role for a certain period of
time. Battle Sr. plead guilty, but he died after he was sentenced. Acuna was a
long-time confederate of Battle, Sr., who acted as Battle Sr.’s bodyguard and
worked as an “enforcer” for the organization.
In the beginning Abraham Rydz and fellow Cuban emigres, including Battle
Sr., Juan Mojica, and Humberto Davila, operated separate bolita operations in New
York and New Jersey. Over time, Rydz became a partner of Mojica, who had
moved to Spain, Antonio Rodriguez, who lived in Florida, and Luis Tinta. Rydz
and Tinta managed 40 bolita “spots” (a location such as a business or store where a
5
bolita worker took bets, also known as a “store” or “bank”) that collected over a
million dollars in bets per week. Davila’s bolita operation, known as the
“Company,” rivaled Battle Sr.’s Corporation. The Corporation’s enforcers would
ensure compliance with the “two-block rule” (that a new spot could not be opened
within two blocks of a competitor’s existing spot) by first issuing a warning to
business owners and workers; if unsuccessful, enforcers would then resort to such
tactics as destruction of property, arson, assault, extortion, and murder.
In 1977, Battle Sr. and Acuna were tried for the murder of Ernesto Torres, a
former Corporation employee. Torres had left the organization because of a
dispute with Battle, Sr. over his own outside gambling activities, which Battle, Sr.
believed were inconsistent with the interests of the organization. Torres also owed
the organization bolita money that he had collected as a banker. After Torres
kidnapped and killed one of the Corporation's bankers, Acuna and Battle, Sr.
tracked Torres down in Florida, where he was living with his girlfriend Idalia
Fernandez. Acting under the direct orders of Battle, Sr. Acuna entered the
apartment, shot and wounded Fernandez while she watched television in the living
room, and following a shootout with Torres, shot and killed him in the bedroom
closet.
The deposition testimony of two witnesses from that murder trial, Carlos
6
Hernandez and Idalia Fernandez, was read into the record in the instant case.
Within weeks of being deposed, Fernandez was shot to death in New York.
Battle, Sr. plead guilty to conspiracy to murder Torres and the charges
against Acuna were dismissed. Upon release from prison in late 1979, Battle, Sr. 2
began working with his son, who in a sense, had been “tutored” in the bolita
business by Rydz at Battle, Sr.’s request. Manuel Marquez, Sr., his uncle, helped
run the operations. Rydz asked Battle, Jr. if he could represent that they were
partners so that Battle, Sr.’s reputation would afford Rydz’s some protection.
Battle, Jr. agreed. Rydz’s partners wanted to retire, and Rydz, needing protection,
agreed to merge his bolita operation into the Battles’ smaller business. At that
point, Rydz, Battle, Jr. and Battle Sr. each received 16% of the profits, and
Marquez was paid a percentage of the business as a salary.
This combined organization operated in Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn and in
portions of Manhattan. Battle, Sr. confided to Rydz that he had gone to Miami in
1976 in order to get rid of Torres, and that he would also like to get rid of
Fernandez, who had been with Torres when he was murdered. Battle, Sr. later told
Rydz that Fernandez had to be “disappeared” because she had witnessed Torres’
Specifically, Battle, Sr. was convicted on conspiracy and solicitation counts, but on 2
appeal, the conspiracy charge was dismissed and the solicitation counts were reversed; he later
pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to 33 months’ probation with credit for time
served. Acuna had absconded after the 1977 Torres murder charge; he was arrested in 1984.
7
murder and had testified against Battle Sr. in his murder trial. (Fernandez had
testified that on June 16, 1976, after she and Torres fled to Florida, that Acuna
broke into their Hialeah, Florida apartment, shot her in the face and chest, and,
when she awoke, she discovered Torres had been killed.)
Rydz and Battle, Jr., now allies, moved to Miami in 1982, and Battle Sr.
likewise relocated there. Battle, Sr. set up a 20-acre farm called “El Zapotal.”
While Marquez managed bolita operations on a day-to-day basis, Rydz and Battle,
Jr. called Marquez and others in New York on a daily basis, checking on operations
and managing the business. Rydz and Battle, Jr. traveled to New York at least
twice a month to review gambling records and reports, claim their percentage of
profits in cash, and make management decisions. Employees of the enterprise
transported millions in cash from New York to Miami and delivered the money to
Battle, Jr., Rydz, and Battle Sr. and later, to Marquez, after he relocated to Florida.
The testimony at the trial in the instant matter showed that the enterprise
expanded quickly to the point where by 1988, it operated 250-300 spots and 12-15
offices for processing bets, counting cash and keeping records. It involved the use
of bankers who, in exchange for operating spots, would be reimbursed for
operational overhead, would be provided protection, and would receive a portion of
the profits.
8
Competition with Davila increased. In response to Davila’s establishment of
competing spots in violation of the two-block rule, the enterprise began an arson
campaign, burning out spots in order to protect its share of the business, maintain
the respect of its competitors and preserve the loyalty of its bankers and employees.
The enforcers were paid to commit bodily harm, arson, and murder. From 1983
through 1984, one enforcer paid a thug for 30 to 35 arsons of rival bolita spots.
Some arsons resulted in deaths. The Corporation established an account called
“UNESCO” to pay for these arsons and other enforcement actions, including bail
and legal defense of enterprise employees or associates. Battle, Jr. did not favor
the arsons and preferred to negotiate when the two-block rule was violated; in fact,
Battle, Jr. never authorized an arson before it was committed. Nevertheless, both
Rydz and Battle Jr. continued to receive bolita profits while the arson campaign
raged on and for years thereafter. Acuna served as Battle Sr.’s bodyguard and
personal assistant. He also worked as an enforcer, collecting money from
delinquent debtors, sometimes by force.
2. Money Laundering
The evidence at trial further established the laundering of the enterprise’s
bolita proceeds. Battle, Jr., Rydz, Battle, Sr., Marquez and others – with the help
of the accountant for the criminal organization, Orestes Vidan – concealed the
9
enterprise’s proceeds in domestic and foreign bank accounts and foreign
corporation’s bank accounts (located in Panama and Curacao). Battle, Jr. and his
co-conspirators used nominee names or “front men” to hide the true identities of
the owners of the money. The main persons used as nominees or “front men” for
these foreign corporations were Vidan and Maurilio Marquez, the brother of
Marquez, Sr. Marquez, Sr., Rydz, and Battle, Jr. each had foreign bank accounts
set up in Switzerland. The money was either wire transferred to the Swiss accounts
through nominee accounts in the names of Vidan and Maurilio Marquez, or was
body carried directly to Switzerland. They also invested their bolita earnings in
real estate or otherwise legitimate businesses to avoid arrest, hide the illegal source
of their wealth, and provide for their children. One such business was Union
Financial Research (“UFR”), a mortgage company located in Florida, where Battle,
Jr. and Rydz worked and in which they had acquired a 25% interest. Another was
a clothing manufacturing business.
Cash from the Corporation’s illegal gambling operations was also physically
carried by members of the conspiracy to Panama, where it was deposited into
various foreign bank accounts in the names of various foreign corporations. The
most significant of these foreign corporations were Panamanian corporations,
Voltaire Trading and Investment Corporation (“Voltaire”) and Aztec Financial
10
Enterprises, Inc. (“Aztec”), both of which were incorporated in Panama and
utilized to invest in real estate in south Florida, and Stanara N.V. (“Stanara”),
which was incorporated in the Netherlands Antilles.
One of the primary money laundering schemes was to transfer the money as
“loans” from the foreign corporations to a series of domestic corporations which
were partially or wholly owned by members of the criminal enterprise. These
corporations would then pay members of the Corporation large salaries. The first
one of these domestic corporations was UFR, the mortgage company incorporated
in Florida.
In 1983 Rydz and Battle, Jr. were stopped at JFK airport carrying $500,000
in bolita cash that they had obtained from Marquez in New York. The cash was
seized. Battle, Jr. was carrying a report of bolita business for the week of April 2,
1983, which listed $2,173,448 in assets and possibly accounts receivable, and the
contents of the UNESCO account. The publicity surrounding the seizure caused
the bank which had loaned $20 million to UFR to demand the identity of the source
of the funds which Battle, Jr. and Rydz had loaned the company. This, in turn,
caused Rydz and Battle to cash out of UFR. This return of capital contributions
were transferred by Vidan through various foreign bank accounts and ultimately
wound up in Union Bank of Switzerland accounts belonging to Battle, Jr. and
11
Rydz.
The evidence at trial also showed that several domestic clothing
manufacturing businesses were involved in the manufacturing and sale of women’s
clothing to further launder illegal gambling proceeds. In order to buy into these
domestic companies, Rydz and Battle, Jr. received money in the form of “loans”
from another puppet company, Stanara Company Corporation (“Stanara Corp.”)
Battle and Rydz also laundered bolita proceeds through commercial real estate
corporations which held accounts oversees.
The Corporation also utilized companies to purchase real properties in
Florida, construct multi-million dollar homes on the properties, and then “lease”
the residences to the owners of the illegal gambling money. This included
Voltaire’s purchase of 350 Island Drive, Key Biscayne, Florida, using Battle, Sr.’s
bolita proceeds; this house was leased by Voltaire to Battle, Jr.’s mother in 1984.
Battle, Jr. eventually sold the house for $1.9 million in 2001. Of this, $281,000
received at closing was deposited in Voltaire’s account at Ocean Bank, most of
which was later wired to Marquez’s account in Curacao, and then to a Swiss
account owned by Battle, Jr. Voltaire held a $1.3 million balloon mortgage on the
house from the buyer, and Battle, Jr. ordered that this mortgage be assigned to Key
Financial Services in return for $150,000. Battle owned stock in Key Financial
12
Services, which received interest payments on the house, $285,000 in cash, and
then took a loss on the sale in 2002.
Similarly, in 1984 Rydz and Marquez purchased real estate at 730 and 740
Mashta Drive, Key Biscayne, through a Panamanian corporation, Aztec Financial
Enterprises; the money came from UFR proceeds as well as other Panamanian
accounts containing bolita proceeds. Marquez later transferred title to lot 730 to
Battle, Jr.
Rydz and Battle, Jr. supervised the enterprise’s bolita operations in New
York and New Jersey until early 1989. At a funeral for a family member, Rydz and
Battle both expressed to other bolita managers their desire to retire from daily
bolita operations. Luis Perez testified that Rydz took a small calendar out of his
pocket on which a date was circled, and told a fellow corporation member, “This is
the day I’m leaving. Have my totals ready.” However, the government maintained
at trial that Rydz and Battle, Jr. continued to launder their own and the enterprise’s
bolita proceeds long after ending their direct involvement in the gambling
operation.
Battle, Jr. delayed construction on his Florida residence until 1994;
ultimately, Battle, Jr. and Rydz leased the houses from Aztec, after using various
corporate accounts, rather than their own names, to finance construction of the
13
houses. Marquez had moved to Florida in 1985 and reviewed bolita reports and
visited the various offices until the end of 1995, when he fled to Spain. Battle, Jr.
had planned to move to Spain and was beginning to move his bolita money to the
Canary Islands. Rydz sold the property located at 740 Mashta Drive for
$2,717,500 on June 4, 2001; Battle, Jr. sold 730 Mashta Drive on May 8, 2002.
Aztec received $2,128,664.98 at closing for 740 Mashta Drive and $2,866,311.66
at closing for 730 Mashta Drive. At Battle, Jr.’s direction, Vidan deposited these
proceeds in Aztec’s account at Plantars Bank, then wired $2,400,000 to a corporate
account in the Canary Islands.
The Curacao corporation’s accounts remained active for some time. In
August and September of 1998, it wired $903,000 to Rydz’s and Battle, Jr.’s
accounts in Switzerland, which were never closed, and in 2000 it wrote certain
small payment checks to pay for corporate registration and such.
The daily management of the enterprise’s bolita business was conducted by
Willie Pozo, and by 1996, the bolita’s profits had decreased. From 1985 through
1995, the Corporation took in $2 million in bets weekly; in contrast, from 1995
through 2003, the total diminished to $700,000 weekly. In early 2000, Battle, Sr.
threatened to kill Pozo and an associate in order to “take his business back.”
Marquez continued to receive a share of the Corporation’s illegal gambling profits
14
until 2001. The enterprise’s central bolita office was managed by Luis Perez, who
was arrested in the summer of 2003. When Rydz and Battle, Jr. were arrested in
March 2004, they were still receiving money from the commercial real estate
business in Miami. The corporate tax returns for El Zapotal, Battle, Sr.’s 20-acre
farm in Miami, showed that in 1999, Battle, Sr. gave El Zapotal to Battle, Jr. and
his family as a gift, and that corporate returns had been filed from 2000-2002,
listing Battle, Jr. as the largest shareholder.
Anyway, it brings up the question - if the Mafia took over more of the numbers racket after the 2004 Corporation bust, why have mob numbers cases dropped off?
[/quote]
B/C law enforcement, despite their blank check and crooked nature are exceedingly inept or were born into massively wealthy families ie morthenthau, walter mack and want to make it look like they;re doing something
