Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of
Connecticut, announced that RICHARD UVA, also known as “Big Baldy,”
44, of Trumbull, formerly of Stamford, pleaded guilty today before
United States Magistrate Judge Thomas P. Smith in Hartford to one
count of conspiring to violate the federal Racketeer Influenced and
Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act stemming from his involvement in
organized-crime controlled gambling businesses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, after a
long-term investigation led by the FBI Fairfield County Organized
Crime Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal
Investigation and the Stamford Police Department, UVA, Dean DePreta
and 18 other individuals were charged with various offenses related to
their involvement in an illegal Internet sports bookmaking operation
and illegal card gambling clubs in Stamford and Hamden. UVA and
DePreta are alleged associates of the Gambino organized crime family.
The investigation, which included the use of court-authorized
wiretaps, revealed that UVA assisted DePreta’s operation of a
large-scale sports bookmaking business in which gamblers placed bets
with offshore Internet sports-gambling websites, particularly
www.44wager.com based in Costa Rica. UVA served as the “master agent”
for the bookmaking operation.
In addition, DePreta, UVA and others operated a card gambling club at
2965 State Street in Hamden, where a house percentage, commonly
referred to as a “rake,” was collected from every hand played. UVA
supervised the club’s operation.
In pleading guilty, UVA also admitted that he committed acts of
extortion while participating in this racketeering enterprise. UVA
collected “tribute” payments from independent sports bookmakers
operating in Connecticut, which payments were subsequently delivered
to Gambino Family associates in New York.
UVA is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge
Vanessa L. Bryant on October 24, 2013, at which time he faces a
maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He also has agreed to
forfeit $250,000.
UVA has been released on bond since his arrest on June 13, 2013.
DePreta has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
FBI analysis of the sports-betting web site utilized by the
co-defendants has determined that the total gross revenues of the
Stamford-based gambling operation were nearly $1.7 million from
October 2010 to June 2011.
To date, the defendants who have pleaded guilty have agreed to forfeit
more than $1.3 million.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI Fairfield County
Organized Crime Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal
Investigation, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police
Department and the Connecticut State Police. This case is being
prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hal Chen and Peter
Jongbloed.
