Rochester man sentenced for role in illegal sports betting operation

Rochester Man Sentenced for Role in Illegal Sports Betting Operation

by
August 17, 2024

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A Rochester man was sentenced to one year of probation on Friday for his involvement in an illegal sports betting ring, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced. James Civiletti, 33, was convicted of conspiracy to transmit wagering information in interstate commerce and conducting an illegal gambling business.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan K. McGuire and Melissa M. Marangola, who prosecuted the case, Civiletti participated in a bookmaking operation that ran from April 25, 2019, to April 17, 2021. The operation generated approximately $2,000 in daily gross revenue and involved several co-conspirators, including Louis Ferrari, II, Dominic Sprague, Anthony Amato, Tomasso Sessa, Joseph Lombardo, and Jeffrey Boscarino.

The co-conspirators managed, financed, and owned portions of the illegal business. Ferrari, Sprague, Boscarino, and Lombardo were responsible for collecting gambling winnings and paying losses to bettors, using both cash and online payment applications such as CashApp, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle. Civiletti and Sessa played similar roles, collecting and distributing winnings and losses, with the payments ultimately directed to Sprague and Ferrari.

Civiletti’s sentencing marks another development in the case, which has targeted a network of individuals involved in the illegal sports betting operation. The case was overseen by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton

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