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Luchese Mob Captain Sentenced to 21 Months for Rhino Sports Gambling Operation

Villani was also ordered to forfeit $4 million following convictions for racketeering, money laundering, illegal gambling

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Photograph captured May 2020 by investigators shows Anthony Villani meeting with members of the Luchese family outside to avoid eavesdropping and electronic surveillance, according to authorities.

Overview

  • Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto sentenced Anthony Villani to 21 months in federal prison in Brooklyn for running the online gambling network Rhino Sports.
  • Villani’s racketeering conviction encompassed predicate acts of money laundering and illegal gambling tied to a scheme that generated at least $35 million in illicit profits.
  • Court records show the operation used Costa Rica–based servers and local bookmakers to handle 400 to 1,300 bets weekly in the New York City area.
  • Villani personally pocketed about $15 million and directed associates to launder proceeds through U.S. Postal Service money orders disguised as rental payments.
  • Four co-defendants pleaded guilty earlier this year and agreed to forfeit roughly $1 million as federal authorities continue broader asset recovery efforts against the Lucchese family.