Lucchese Soldier Pleads Guilty Over Illegal Gambling Platform ‘Rhino Sports’

Five members and associates of the Lucchese crime family have pleaded guilty to charges related to the operation of Rhino Sports, a Brooklyn-based illegal gambling enterprise with servers based in Costa Rica.

Among them is the aptly named Anthony Villani, 60, a Lucchese soldier who oversaw Rhino Sports since 2004. Last Thursday, he admitted to charges of racketeering, money laundering, and illegal gambling, and agreed to pay a $4 million forfeiture, court records show.

His co-defendants, Louis “Tooch” Tucci, Jr., 61, and Dennis Filizzola, 61, worked as agent “muscle,” collecting money from customers, while Filizzola also helped launder the proceeds, according to the indictment. Meanwhile, James “Quick” Coumoutsos, 62, and Michael “Platinum” Praino, 47, were described in court documents as “significant bookmakers and moneymakers for the business.”

Long History

Villani has a history of gambling-related arrests dating back to 1988. He faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced later this year, while his co-defendants each face up to five years.

Rhino Sports operated using the “price per head” business model, also known as “pay per head.” This is where an unlicensed bookie – or in this case, the Lucchese crime family – can offer online betting services to a localized clientele via an offshore platform provider. Many of these offshore sites are based in Costa Rica, where they are legal

Typically, in Mafia gambling rackets, indebted bettors are “persuaded” to borrow money at high interest from loan sharks to keep gambling.

Millions for the Mob

The operation ran for 16 years until 2020 and was used by up to 1,300 gamblers each week, generating millions for the mob, according to court documents.

Filizzola used the proceeds to buy money orders under false names, which were then made payable to a property company controlled by Villani. This disguised the transactions as rental payments from tenants.

These guilty pleas represent a victory for the rule of law over the pernicious activities of organized crime that undermine the safety of our communities,” said US Attorney for New York’s Eastern District John Durham in a statement. “Illegal gambling businesses require enforcement and protection from mob rivals that carry the persistent threat of violence.”

James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director of the FBI’s New York field office, added that the case illustrated how “entrenched” the traditional mafia were in “their noxious and familiar criminality.”