‘Sal the Shoemaker’ pleads guilty to operating Mafia gambling ring out of Long Island shop.
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A Long Island cobbler known as “Sal the Shoemaker” has admitted running an illegal gambling ring raising money for the Mafia out of his now-shuttered store.

Salvatore Rubino pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to a slew of charges related to the illegal gambling business and using the proceeds to bolster the coffers of the notorious Genovese crime family, federal prosecutors have announced.

He told a judge in Brooklyn federal court that there were gambling machines installed in the back of Sal’s Shoe Repair in Merrick, where he also operated poker games three nights each week, Newsday reported.

Federal prosecutors say Sal's Shoe Repair in Merrick, NY, was actually a front for a gambling operation run by the mob.

Storefront of the now-shuttered Al’s Shoe Repair shop formerly operated by 'Sal the Shoemaker' who ran an illegal gambling ring for the Mafia from this location.

The operation was active from May 2012 through 2021, when Sal’s Shoe Repair had to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rubino, 60, and Joseph Rutigliano, 65 — known as “Joe Box” — would collect the profits for the Genoveses and distribute the funds to high-ranking members.

Meanwhile, other mobsters operated out of seemingly innocuous business fronts across Long Island, including a gelato shop in Lynbrook called the Gran Caffe Gelateria and Centro Calcio Italiano Club in West Babylon, prosecutors said.

The Gran Caffe Gelateria

Other mobsters operated out of seemingly innocuous business fronts across Long Island, including a gelato shop in Lynbrook called the Gran Caffe Gelateria and Centro Calcio Italiano Club in West Babylon. Gran Caffe Gelateria.

The businesses secretly operated poker-type gambling machines and poker games, and would bring in more than $2,000 in a single day, the feds said.

Four others involved in the massive operation pleaded guilty earlier this month, including Rutigliano and Carmelo “Carmine” Polito, 64, the alleged acting captain of the Genovese crime family, who also faced charges for running an illegal online sports betting operation through a website called PGW Lines.

Carmelo “Carmine” Polito, 64, pleaded guilty earlier this month. Brooklyn U.S Attorney's Office

A shuttered storefront of Al's Shoe Repair in Long Island, previously used as a front for an illegal gambling operation. 6
The businesses secretly operated poker-type gambling machines and poker games, and would bring in more than $2,000 in a single day, the feds said.

He once threatened to “break” a debtor’s “face” before instructing an underling in 2019 to relay the message, “Tell him I’m going to put him under the f–king bridge,” according to prosecutors.

Joseph Macario, 69 — aka “Joe Fish” — also pleaded guilty to racketeering charges, and Mark Feuer, 61, pleaded guilty to felony charges relating to the operation of other illegal gambling businesses.

Mark Feuer leaves Brooklyn Federal Court after his arraignment on August 16, 2022 in New York 6
Mark Feuer, 61, pleaded guilty to felony charges relating to the operation of other illegal gambling businesses.

“With their guilty pleas, these five members and associates of the Genovese crime family have admitted they committed crimes to benefit a criminal enterprise notorious for inflicting harm on our communities for generations,” US Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement.

“As long as the Mafia doesn’t get it that illegal gambling is a losing proposition, they can bet on this office and our partners vigorously enforcing the law and flushing them out of the shadows,” she added.

Rubino is expected to be sentenced to between four and 10 months in prison as part of a plea deal — though he could face up to five years behind bars and have to pay $250,000 in fines, Newsday reported.

https://nypost.com/2024/04/17/us-ne...a-gambling-ring-out-of-long-island-shop/

Bethpage man known as 'Sal the Shoemaker' pleads guilty to running illegal gambling operation out of his shop.

A Bethpage man known as “Sal the Shoemaker” in the Genovese crime family pleaded guilty Tuesday to running an illegal gambling operation in his shuttered Merrick shoe repair business, prosecutors said. Salvatore Rubino, 60,....

https://www.newsday.com/long-island...er-illegal-gambling-guilty-plea-dfltybxa

Newsday

When they say the shoe repair business was a front for gambling hey have it wrong, he let his store be used for poker games a few nights a week. Big difference. The writer makes it sound as if they never really repaired shoes or did any work.

Five Members and Associates of the Genovese Crime Family Plead Guilty to Various Felony Charges, Including Illegal Gambling

Tuesday, April 16, 2024; For Immediate Release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Salvatore Rubino, also known as “Sal the Shoemaker,” an associate of the Genovese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra, pleaded guilty to operating an illegal gambling business associated with the crime family.  Previously, on April 5, 2024, four co-defendant members and associates of the Genovese crime family pleaded guilty to various felony charges stemming from their long-running operation of several lucrative gambling operations in the Eastern District of New York.  Carmelo “Carmine” Polito, a former acting captain and a soldier within the Genovese crime family, pleaded guilty to racketeering involving the operation of an illegal gambling business and an attempted extortion.  Joseph Macario, also known as “Joe Fish,” a soldier within the Genovese crime family, also pleaded guilty to racketeering.  Joseph Rutigliano, also known as “Joe Box,” and Mark Feuer, associates of the Genovese crime family, pleaded guilty to felony charges relating to the operation of various illegal gambling businesses also associated with the crime family. The proceedings were held before United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Anne T. Donnelly, District Attorney, Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, announced the guilty pleas.

“With their guilty pleas, these five members and associates of the Genovese crime family have admitted they committed crimes to benefit a criminal enterprise notorious for inflicting harm on our communities for generations,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “As long as the Mafia doesn’t get it that illegal gambling is a losing proposition, they can bet on this Office and our partners vigorously enforcing the law and flushing them out of the shadows, as in this case, where they operated secretly in a coffee bar and a shoe repair shop.”

Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the New York City Police Department and the Nassau County Police Department for their invaluable assistance in the investigation.

“These Mafia figures operated surreptitiously in back rooms of restaurants and retail locations in suburban Long Island, running underground gambling parlors and kicking up the profits to the Genovese crime family,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly. “For decades, organized crime families have steered violence and other illicit activities in our communities. With our partners at the EDNY, FBI, and the Nassau County Police Department, we are doubling down on driving out these illegal gambling operations.”

As detailed in earlier court filings and in facts presented at the guilty plea hearings, members of the Genovese and Bonanno organized crime families operated several illegal gambling operations in the Eastern District of New York. 

Beginning in at least May 2012, the Genovese and Bonanno families jointly operated a lucrative illegal gambling operation in Lynbrook, New York called the Gran Caffe.  The profits earned through the Gran Caffe and other illegal gambling locations generated substantial revenue, which was then “kicked up” to the crime families’ leaders.  Rutigliano and Rubino collected the proceeds for the Genovese crime family and distributed them up to higher-ranking members, including Polito and Macario.

In addition to the Gran Caffe, the Genovese crime family—through Polito, Macario, Rutigliano, Rubino and others—operated illegal gambling parlors at establishments called Sal’s Shoe Repair and the Centro Calcio Italiano Club. 

Carmelo Polito, a former acting captain in the Genovese crime family, also operated an illegal online gambling scheme in which bets were placed on sporting events through a website called “PGWLines.”  In connection with his operation of PGWLines, Polito attempted to extort an individual who lost several thousand dollars in bets he placed through the website.  For example, in an October 2019 call concerning a delinquent debtor whose “face” Polito had previously threatened to “break,” Polito instructed another individual to relay a new message to the debtor: “Tell him I’m going to put him under the f------g bridge.”

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Tanya Hajjar, Drew Rolle, Anna Karamigios and Sean Sherman are in charge of the prosecution. 

The Defendants:
JOSEPH MACARIO (also known as “Joe Fish”)
Age:  69?West Islip, New York
CARMELO POLITO (also known as “Carmine Polito”)
Age:  64?Whitestone, New York
SALVATORE RUBINO (also known as “Sal the Shoemaker”)
Age:  60?Bethpage, New York
JOSEPH RUTIGLIANO (also known as “Joe Box”)
Age:  65?Commack, New York
MARK FEUER
Age:  61?Oceanside, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-356 (ENV)

Polito's so-called extortion was him getting angry that a bettor who was given credit was not paying up. He did not go into a business and tell someone they had to pay him money or else--that is what extortion laws were meant for.

Capeci and a few in law enforcement are really out for Polito, especially their flunky Gerry Capeci. I noticed Capeci started writing more and more about Polito thookie D;Urso. Then it was revealed a book is coming out by the FBI agent who handled D'Urso. I bet Gangland will be covering this story.


Capeci has written lovingly about D'Urso, including astray last year of how brave and tough he was. The book was supposed to come out last year, then the release was pushed back till November, Then it was delayed again, with one author (A former prosecutor) dropping out. Polito did time for a murder the turned out to be innocent of, yet Capeci keeps trying to spin it that he is out on a technicality, I think a combination of trying to place a rat, help and FBI agent with his book, and get back at a guy they framed (As if that is his fault) all contribute to the book push.

Capeci also calls Politos former co-defendent , who sued for wrongful conviction and won, a "Genovese Mafia gangster) even though there is not indication of that. The book, if it ever comes out is also going to have D'Urso claiming a female FBI agent fired him to have sex over a long period of time.

Today's Gangland lays out a lot more about the case.

You have ms13 running wild all over long island as well as crips and bloods indiscriminately shooting and robbing. Law Enforcement prioritizes some joker poker machines and poker games ????

No doubt about that. With all the serious crime out there, you break balls on guys for bookmaking, card games and poker machines?

In fact, all that shit is legal now. So, what happened? It's not "morally" wrong anymore? Because now its state run?

The only guys who still get harassed for gambling are either Italians, or guys connected to them, who are "supposedly" part of OC. Its all bullshit and nothing less than hypocrisy at its finest!

It comes down to The Justice Department trying putting a shoemaker in prison. He is a real shoemaker, not a man "With a front" as the story said. He let them use the back of his shop for poker, this leads to him being just about ruined. They got a car dealer who helped a friend put in bets, and a shoemaker. Once again, the the streets are safe, and crime is crushed.

Jace I don’t necessarily disagree with your opinion on the severity of the crime but some shit you say is funny. You’re more loyal to organized crime than organized crime is to itself

I'm loyal to justice, I never see this stuff against others. I have no loyalty to organized crime, I just want to see equal justice. Maybe I'm loyal to shoemakers. What to you think of the case?

When gambling is legal I get confused as to what they classify as illegal and legal, the line seems blurred at that point to me. The place does sound like the definition of a front though lol

A front means a place does not do what it advertises, that is not the case here.

The people on Freedomnewstv and status coup news are a danger, this shoemaker wasn't. I see that a few zealots, or perhaps FBI agents or prosecutors post here. Maybe their fanboys, whatever, this is not justice.