A new government filing in the case against an illegal gambling ring in Indiana has revealed how the FBI busted the gang. An undercover employee (UCE) infiltrated restaurants that members of the gang were running, but his activities aroused suspicions, and one member pursued him in a high-speed chase.
The mole “routinely met with James Gerodemos and his associates, observing the structure, organization, procedures, and accomplices involved in Gerodemos’ gambling operation,” according to the filing.
Gerodemos is alleged to be the head of an illegal gambling operation that generated as much as $5 million. He was indicted along with 21 others last month.
Agent Arose Suspicions
One of those indicted, Michael Campbell, grew suspicious after the agent quizzed him about a red book that Gerodemos frequently carried in March last year. The agent believed the book was Gerodemos’ sports book to detail illegal bets he accepted.
Campbell dismissed the agent’s questions, telling him Gerodemos probably kept his “sketches, his artwork in there, his doodlings.”
Shortly after the conversation, Campbell messaged Gerodemos, warning him about the agent, according to a recent government filing.
“Keep your mouth shut around this [UCE] guy I’m telling you man,” Campbell wrote. “Trust me on this man.”
Gang Suspected Agent Was Secretly Recording
The next day, Campbell sent Gerodemos a link to a TikTok video that warned about hidden cameras and offered a hidden camera detector for sale. He followed up by writing the agent’s name, then!?
Law enforcement later issued a search warrant for Gerodemos’ iCloud data, but only obtained data up to the day Campbell sent the warning. It is believed Gerodemos turned off the iCloud backup feature as suspicions grew.
All 22 men in the indictment have pleaded not guilty, but investigators say the weight of the evidence against the men is overwhelming.
Evidence contained in the recent filing includes images of Gerodemos eating a wad of cash and screenshots of ABCWagering, the illegal gambling site that the gang reportedly ran.
Burr Ridge’s Mayor has publicly defended one of those indicted, the restaurant owner Filippo “Gigi” Rovito. Rovito allegedly has ties to the Cicero Crew, the Chicago-based criminal organization started by Al Capone.
Campbell Pursued Agent In High Speed Chase
Tensions between the agent and members of the gang reached a peak in April last year, a few weeks after the conversation about the red book.
Campbell had been observing the agent leaving Gerodemos. He then pursued him in his GMC truck. Campbell was observed following the undercover agent and driving erratically at speeds in excess of 100 mph, says the filing.
It adds that “Campbell continuously weaved in and out of traffic, approached the rear of one of the
surveillance vehicle and began tailgating them and flashing his brights in attempts to catch up to the undercover agent.”
During the car chase, there were several calls between Campbell and Gerodemos.
“It’s incredibly dangerous. It’s just like in the movies,” Ron Safer, a former assistant United States Attorney, told NBC Chicago.
“If they discover that you’re an undercover operative, your life is on the line because people know that they’re going to go to jail if you testify and survive. So it’s very dangerous. It’s very tricky. And I can’t tell you the number of times on a wiretap people say, ‘Be careful, our phone might be tapped,’ but they still talk.”
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