I think we have to look at this thing big picture wise, I try to take a birds eye view in all this shit to connect the dots...
Like Ivey said, they cut the FBI resources, so the stuff they do handle, they got to get the most out of it that they can. Now this means both, investigations that yield "prosecutable crimes",as well as political capital. Big drug rings, operations like this one where they can link multiple families, no matter how thin the connections, it's headlines, it's part of the game...
Look at how STRATEGIC these arrest were, they hit the biggest families in NY, plus they get the cast iron young mob boss poster child in Merlino. They even called it the " East Coast Cosa Nostra Enterprise", I don't know why they didn't just call it Commision Case 2 lol.
I think Pmac is on to something with these gambling arrest. They seem more aimed at sending the mob a message than anything. I was going to start a thread asking the question, " Does the mob handle fantasy sports betting?" "How does this action affect regular betting? Is it complimentary to the regular mob clientele, or is there overlap and competition there? There's a pool in like a LOT of offices, type of young, college educated guys with money to burn and a taste for the action. Basically the " New" bettor. Watch it become more tech driven too, it's too young and sexy not to.Like ANYONE CAN BET FANTASY SPORTS, it reminds me of the Junior Soprano line, " Fuckin ch*nks and housewives are betting football..." What happens when BIGMONEY starts to move in like with weed? I wanted to do another thread asking if a gambling machine was better than a sports book. While back, article in the SunTimes said the state took in 913 million from video poker machines last year, revenue starting to compete with the ten casinos here.
I would pay attention to this trend of coming down hard on gambling rings in the future.. Bet you money it starts to coincide with more legalization legislation, but hey, I'm a suspicious person, lol any more thoughts fellas?
