Retired Cop Among 11 Arrested For Queens Bookmaking

A retired Police Officer and 10 other individuals were indicted Aug. 5 for their alleged roles in operating a sports betting enterprise in Queens, which took in $13 million over 19 months by accepting wagers on major professional and college athletics.

"Illegal sports betting reaps millions of dollars in cash profits that are easily diverted to more-insidious criminal enterprises," said Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown. "These are not victimless crimes. In fact, participants often use threats, intimidation and even physical force to collect debts."

Ex-Cop Called a Collector

Retired NYPD Police Officer Joseph R. Sofia, 63, allegedly acted as an "agent" who gave bettors access codes, collected payments and set limits on the amount they were allowed to bet. His charges include enterprise corruption.

DA Brown announced an 86-count indictment filed in Queens Supreme Court, which stated that the gambling ring promoted illegal sports betting. Michael Midenberger, 71, and James Rossi, 49, a reputed Genovese crime family associate, are alleged to be the co-bookmakers of the operation. They used an offshore wire room located in Costa Rica that was accessible through a toll-free telephone number and a Web site, www.perfectwager. com.

Some of the charges for all 11 defendants were first-degree promoting gambling, third-degree money-laundering and fifth-degree conspiracy.

The investigation, which started in July 2007, revealed that the defendants allegedly took bets of between $200 and $4,000 on a single game. Investigators recovered $210,100 from a safe at the North Carolina home of one of the defendants, William Jennings. His safe deposit box on Long Island had $160,000 in cash. Another $11,000 in cash was also recovered.

T.H.