Actors and Activities: The Social Construction of Organized Crime

Forthcoming posts and analysis on new site

2011-06-06T05:12:00.001-04:00

From this point forward, all new posts and analyses will appear @

www.seanpatrickgriffin.net

The new site allows for all sorts of things which are simply not possible on Blogger, and we have tried to incorporate all pre-existing material (from the "Actors and Activities" blog and others) into the new domain.

Thanks for your interest and support!

Gaming the Game discussed on KNBR 680/1050 The Sports Leader (San Fran)

2011-06-04T16:03:00.000-04:00

Now that the academic year is over, I am back to entertaining interviews regarding Gaming the Game. One of the latest such appearances was with "The Razor and Mr. T" on KNBR 680/1050 The Sports Leader in San Francisco (air date 6/1/11). The podcast is streamed here.

Las Vegas Review-Journal review of Gaming the Game

2011-05-11T14:16:00.000-04:00

The latest review of Gaming the Game: The Story Behind the NBA Betting Scandal and the Gambler Who Made It Happen (Barricade, 2011) was penned by John L. Smith and appears today in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

For previous reviews of Gaming the Game, please see here.

Gaming the Game on PCN's "PA Books"

2011-04-26T07:33:00.005-04:00

Some may recall that of the dozens of media interviews I entertained for Black Brothers, Inc., by far my favorite was the one conducted by the Pennsylvania Cable Network's Brian Lockman for their popular "PA Books" program. You can thus imagine my delight when I was invited to appear on the program with him to discuss Gaming the Game: The Story Behind the NBA Betting Scandal and the Gambler Who Made It Happen (Barricade, 2011).

The 1-hour interview airs for the first time on Sunday, May 1st at 9pm. The program may also be viewed via live streaming video at www.pcntv.com, and will be posted as a podcast on the website for one week (beginning the Monday after the initial airing). The wide-ranging interview discusses everything from the NBA betting scandal (including the credibility of former referee Tim Donaghy) to the underworld of big-time sports gambling to the ongoing debate about the legalization of sports wagering.

UPDATE: The segment is available online here.

FBI Shuts Down Internet Poker Sites...Are Online Sportsbooks Next?

2011-04-24T06:13:00.001-04:00

The Los Angeles Times had a fascinating (and, depending on your perspective, disturbing) piece this week which began:

A thriving online poker industry catering to Americans but operating from abroad to evade U.S. gambling laws could be wiped out by criminal charges against top executives in the business. Eleven people, including the founders of the three largest poker sites open to U.S. players, were charged by a federal grand jury with bank fraud, money laundering and violating gambling laws. The government also is seeking to recover $3 billion from the companies. The FBI had shut down two of the sites, Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars, by Friday evening and were working to do the same with the third, Absolute Poker. Online visitors were greeted with a message saying, "This domain name has been seized by the F.B.I. pursuant to an Arrest Warrant," and an enumeration of federal anti-gambling statutes and penalties. An estimated 8 million to 10 million Americans play poker online for money; thousands of them earn their living on the sites, according to a players advocacy group. Congress tried to shut down the industry by enacting an anti-gambling law in 2006, but most sites found ways to work around the vaguely worded measure.

Other coverage included an interesting piece from The Hill, which quotes Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) commenting on the events. Frank has long been a leading advocate for legalizing online gambling.

I was interviewed about the matter by Gambling Compliance, which describes itself as "a team of legal, regulatory and finance professionals who specialise exclusively in providing high level and independent analysis of the global gaming market to our clients...The team is based in the USA and Europe and we pride ourselves on providing the most comprehensive, accurate and up to date information services coupled with cutting edge technology and world class client support."

In short, I was asked whether the arrests and the possible seizing of assets should concern offshore sportsbooks which are in very similar circumstances to the online poker sites targeted this week (based outside the U.S. though with a significant clientele [and typically at least some portion of the operation] in the States). The piece, penned by James Kilsby, is available to subscribers only, but the takeaway is as follows. My opinion, shaped in no small part by my interviews with federal law enforcement officials during the research for Gaming the Game, is that offshore sportsbooks should be very worried. For whatever reasons (perhaps the dire need for funds to help offset the government's financial woes, as some have posited), the feds have apparently taken an interest in offshore sites that everyone knew about long ago but which were never the subject of serious enforcement scrutiny until now.

Here is a Bloomberg TV interview of Kilsby, an editor for Gambling Compliance, about the momentous events:

Kilsby Calls U.S. Internet Poker Charges `Game... by Bloomberg

Philadelphia's Black Mafia on Wikipedia

2011-04-23T09:09:00.000-04:00

As many people know, the topic of Philadelphia's Black Mafia has its own Wikipedia entry - "Black Mafia". I probably should have publicly commented on this matter long ago, but for whatever reasons reserved my critical remarks for lesser forums. I keep (wrongly!) assuming that readers know Wikipedia is most often not a valid source of information - and even when it is, we have little reason to know this is the case. Here, then, are some comments about the entry which so often mentions my work as the basis for its content.

For starters, the entry's title, "Black Mafia," is troublesome since it suggests to some there is or was a monolithic African-American organized crime group operating throughout the U.S. Though the syndicate had operations and contacts in various cities, the majority of its significant activities took place in and around Philadelphia.

I have checked the entry intermittently for some time to see where some of the questions I receive originate. My overall sense of the entry probably mirrors what is true of the entire site, namely that it is somewhat true and somewhat properly sourced...and yet seriously flawed and wildly inaccurate (particularly depending on how long it has been since someone at least attempted to edit the piece in consideration of certain factors). As I type, the very beginning of the entry ("Overview") includes historically inaccurate (though typical street legend) commentary which is presented as fact.

Indeed, for months the Black Mafia entry included a detailed description of the group's relationship with a wholly fabricated Italian-American crime family (I am convinced to this day that one of my many former students penned the bogus material as a means of "testing" Wikipedia, since I have often joked in class about performing such a stunt out of curiosity).

I won't waste time commenting about the current, significant flaws in the entry simply because by the time I post this, they may not appear! It is Wikipedia we are discussing, after all.

In closing, I should note that despite my serious concerns about the Black Mafia Wiki entry, the site's take on another of my research projects - the 2003-07 NBA betting scandal - is far worse! Wow. As such, I highly doubt I'll ever take the time to address its many errors, and will simply hope that interested parties consult Gaming the Game: The Story Behind the NBA Betting Scandal and the Gambler Who Made It Happen and the related blogs (see here and here).

Black Brothers, Inc. on Kindle!

2011-04-21T18:43:00.000-04:00

I can't guess how many people have asked me when, if ever, Black Brothers, Inc. would be available on Amazon.com's popular Kindle. Well, the moment has arrived! I need to thank Pete Walsh of Milo Books for being so proactive with this.

Billy Walters property for sale

2011-04-15T11:42:00.000-04:00

For a mere $29 million, you can purchase one of the world's most consequential sports bettor's properties (the linked WSJ piece includes insights into his vast enterprise).

Gaming the Game Q & A at Covers.com

2011-04-15T10:01:00.002-04:00

The latest interview regarding Gaming the Game was published yesterday on Covers.com, a popular and influential web site covering sports and related betting information and analysis. **Please know that when I get the time, I will be posting a commentary about what was edited out of the piece, and how such editorial decisions have adversely affected the public's understanding of the NBA betting scandal until now.

Gaming the Game on Don Best TV

2011-04-14T06:42:00.004-04:00

Please see here for the latest interview regarding Gaming the Game.

Gaming the Game on 610 WIP (Philadelphia)

2011-04-01T16:23:00.002-04:00

I taped an interview with Steve Trevelise for broadcast during his show tonight (technically for early Saturday morning [4/2/11], 1:00am - 5:00am) on Philly's 610 WIP. The segment will be re-aired during his show early Sunday (4/3/11) morning, between 2:00am and 6:00am. As I explained to Steve during the interview, a large percentage of the writing for Gaming the Game took place with him or his fellow early morning WIP host Big Daddy Graham on in the background.

Gaming the Game on ESPN 710 (L.A.)

2011-04-01T16:19:00.000-04:00

I appeared briefly (notwithstanding cell phone issues!) with Max Kellerman and Marcellus Wiley today to discuss Gaming the Game. The "Max and Marcellus Show" airs on ESPN 710 (Los Angeles). Podcasts of their shows can be found here.

Gaming the Game on The Lion Roars throughout April 2011

2011-03-30T09:19:00.000-04:00

Each Thursday night in April at 7:00pm, Philadelphia-area Comcast subscribers will be able to watch a 30-minute interview conducted by Dr. Moylan C. Mills, Professor Emeritus of Integrative Arts at Penn State. The segment largely focuses on Gaming the Game, with a few comments about my work more generally, including Black Brothers, Inc. The program, The Lion Roars, airs on Comcast Cable Channel 190.

Next Gaming the Game talks/signings

2011-03-27T06:52:00.011-04:00

There will be several of these engagements in the coming weeks, spread throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. These events have been entertaining thus far, and I very much enjoy the Q & A session and hearing the thoughts of others regarding the big-time sports betting world and, especially, about various aspects of the NBA betting scandal.

Particulars for the next two Gaming the Game events are as follows (books will be available for sale/signing, of course):

Thursday, April 7, 2011 from 7 - 9p at SmokeEaters Pub, 7681 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19136 (Frankford and Sheffield), (215) 338-4188.

Thursday, April 14, 2011 from 7 - 9p at Liberties Restaurant and Bar, 705 N 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19123 (2nd and Fairmount), (215) 238-0660.

Gaming the Game event on March 28, 2011

2011-03-27T05:14:00.000-04:00

There are numerous things in the works regarding Gaming the Game (book events, signings, press coverage, etc.). I still need to post some media coverage from the past few weeks when I get the time (I am in the teeth of an academic semester right now). Until then, interested parties may wish to know that I'll be appearing at the Chester County Book & Music Company on Monday, March 28th at 4pm, where I'll sign books and entertain questions. CCBMC has requested that attendees RSVP.

I will also be there earlier taping an interview for broadcast on Brandywine Radio. The segment, which will be hosted by local author (among other endeavors/titles) Bruce Mowday, is set for broadcast at 5pm on Friday, April 22, 2011.

Here is a related story in the Delaware County Daily Times.

Profile in Philadelphia Magazine

2011-03-25T10:41:00.002-04:00

In the context of the recently-released Gaming the Game, there is a brief profile of me in the April 2011 issue of Philadelphia Magazine. [Note: If you read the piece, please know that the establishment being referenced was formerly a nondescript chain restaurant back when I held court with interview subjects.]

Kaboni Savage update on Mob Scene

2011-03-24T05:58:00.000-04:00

Beyond Black Brothers, Inc., I have discussed drug kingpin and murder suspect Kaboni Savage a few times on this blog (see here, here, and here). The Philadelphia Inquirer's George Anastasia recently offered this update on Savage in a "Mob Scene" vid clip Savage:

Latest Gaming the Game press

2011-03-23T15:01:00.000-04:00

Quick update over on NBA Scandal.

Gaming the Game/Mob Scene/Angelo Lutz

2011-03-09T08:59:00.000-05:00

In Gaming the Game, I include a funny - though important - quote from then-imprisoned Philadelphia mob associate Angelo "Fat Ange" Lutz, who was serving an 8-year federal sentence for gambling and extortion. Lutz. Lutz, who was incredulous at the manner in which authorities handled the 2006 case against (pro gambler Jimmy Battista's associate/partner) white-collar bookmaker/bettor Joseph "Joe Vito" Mastronardo, is discussed in this "Mob Scene with George Anastasia" vid clip:

Gaming the Game/Mob Scene/Joey Merlino

2011-03-09T08:58:00.000-05:00

Related to my earlier post re: John Stanfa, Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino's activities in the early 90's also influenced suburban, white-collar gamblers like Jimmy Battista:

Gaming the Game/Mob Scene/John Stanfa

2011-03-09T08:57:00.000-05:00

For obvious reasons, most of my posts regarding my recently-released book, Gaming the Game: The Story Behind the NBA Betting Scandal and the Gambler Who Made It Happen (Barricade, 2011), appear on the NBA Scandal blog. The book, however, entails some forty years of history, including discussions about a number of related topics [e.g., corruption, gambling, organized crime, money laundering, etc.]. Thus, many of the vid clips on Philly.com's Mob Scene with George Anastasia are directly related to several things discussed in Gaming the Game. In this regard, I have already posted about Joseph "Joe Vito" Mastronardo.

GTG readers will note attention is paid to John Stanfa (whose early 90's battle for power in Philly's underworld played a significant role in compelling white-collar pro gambler Jimmy Battista's career move to Las Vegas). Here is Mob Scene on Stanfa:

Gaming the Game on Facebook

2011-03-09T08:38:00.000-05:00

For interested parties, Gaming the Game now has its own Facebook page.

LVRJ piece on "sports messenger bettors" (aka "runners")

2011-02-24T07:34:00.000-05:00

As more people become familiar with Gaming the Game, generally, and the sociology of big-time professional gambling in particular, I'll try to post as much publicly-accessible and credible insights relating to this fascinating world as possible. For instance, the Las Vegas Review-Journal's John L. Smith wrote a piece recently on "sports messenger bettors" who are more commonly known within the gambling industry as "runners". Runners - who they are, how they are recruited and by whom, how they are paid, how they operate, the problems they cause for various parties, etc. - are discussed in detail in the new book.

Comcast SportsNet appearance tonight at 5:45p

2011-02-23T13:36:00.018-05:00

For those in the Greater Philadelphia area (or who otherwise have access to the network), I will be on Comcast SportsNet's "Daily News Live" program discussing Gaming the Game tonight at 5:45p. The panel, hosted by CSN's Michael Barkann, includes Stan Hochman and Dick Jerardi of the Daily News. UPDATE: Segment is here:

My Assessments of Donaghy's book and related (post-11/09) claims

2011-02-20T17:57:00.000-05:00

Parties explicitly looking for my assessments of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy's book and related (post-11/09) claims can find them in the following locations:

Author's Note (about my assessments)

Donaghy claims (post-11/09) contradicted by the official record

Donaghy claims (post-11/09) for which there is no supporting evidence

Gaming the Game book events this week

2011-02-19T18:26:00.000-05:00

The first two book events for Gaming the Game are this coming week. Here are the particulars as I understand them for each event.

Monday, 2/21/11, 6p at McGillin's Olde Ale House (Philadelphia's oldest bar, located at 1310 Drury St., 19107).

The event, which is free and open to the public, is being hosted by Robin's Books.

Thursday, 2/24/11, 7 - 9p, in Lubert Commons within Lares Building on the Penn State Abington campus (1600 Woodland Rd, 19001). The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Gaming the Game released today

2011-02-17T08:19:00.000-05:00

For reasons that are unclear, most of the information regarding the release of Gaming the Game: The Story Behind the NBA Betting Scandal and the Gambler Who Made It Happen (Barricade) is inaccurate (e.g., Amazon.com says the pub date is April 15, 2011). The book was shipped weeks ago and, though I realize the distribution chain is notoriously slow, books should be widely available shortly. I know that certain Philadelphia-area stores like Robin's Bookstore in Center City got stock of Gaming the Game a while ago, though they were restricted from selling the book until today.

Offshore Sports Betting and the Law

2011-02-14T17:50:00.007-05:00

As architect of the 2006-07 portion of the NBA betting scandal involving referee Tim Donaghy, pro gambler Jimmy Battista pleaded guilty in July 2008 to conspiracy to transmit wagering information across state lines. Technically speaking, Battista was in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sec. 371 (Conspiracy to commit offense) and of 18 U.S.C. Sec 1084 (Transmission of wagering information), the latter of which explicitly states the following:

Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

The offenses to which Battista pleaded are commonly charged in gambling cases, and are generally understood. However, as readers of Gaming the Game will notice, Battista's bets - and those of heavyweight sports bettors - were placed predominantly offshore. U.S. law regarding offshore betting from within the U.S. is still evolving, as are the related law enforcement responses. Interested parties may therefore wish to consult the following as primers:

18 U.S.C. (Gambling)

31 U.S.C. § 5361 - 5367 (Prohibition of Funding of Unlawful Internet Gambling)

HR. 4954 (SAFE Port Act), Title VIII: Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement - Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 - (Sec. 802), which states:

Defines "bets and wagers" for purposes of this Act to include bets for contests, sporting events, games predominantly subject to chance, and lotteries. Excludes from such definition: (1) activities governed by securities laws: (2) transactions under the Commodity Exchange Act; (3) over-the-counter derivative instruments; (4) contracts of indemnity or guarantee; (5) any contract for insurance; (6) any deposit or other transaction with an insured depository institution; and (7) reward programs or games conducted by businesses for promotional purposes.

Declares that nothing in this Act may be construed to prohibit any activity allowed under the Interstate Horseracing Act, to preempt any state law prohibiting gambling, or to affect the application of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Expresses the sense of Congress that this Act does not address the legality of certain horse racing activities under federal law.

Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit persons engaged in the business of betting or wagering from knowingly accepting credit, or the proceeds of credit, electronic fund transfers, checks, drafts, or similar financial instruments or the proceeds of any other financial transaction in connection with unlawful Internet gambling (this prohibition is defined by this Act as a "restricted transaction"). Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to five years for violations.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to prescribe regulations to identify and block restricted transactions. Grants immunity from civil liability for blocking a restricted transaction or one which is reasonably believed to be a restricted transaction.

Grants U.S. district courts original and exclusive jurisdiction to prevent and restrain restricted transactions and to enter a permanent injunction against individuals convicted of accepting financial instruments for unlawful Internet gambling. Authorizes the Attorney General or any state attorney general to institute proceedings to prevent or restrain a restricted transaction.

(Sec. 803) Calls upon the U.S. government, in deliberations with foreign governments, to: (1) encourage cooperation by foreign governments in identifying whether Internet gambling operations are being used for money laundering, corruption, or other crimes; (2) advance policies that promote international cooperation in enforcing this Act; and (3) encourage the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering to study the extent to which Internet gambling operations are being used for money laundering purposes.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to report to Congress annually on deliberations between the United States and other countries on Internet gambling.

A tidy summary of internet gaming law can be found here.

Lastly, an invaluable resource for anyone attempting to understand gambling law and its enforcement is David G. Schwartz's, Cutting the Wire: Gaming Prohibition and the Internet (Reno, NV: University of Nevada Press, 2005). Schwartz, who graciously assisted me during the research for Gaming the Game, is the Director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

More commentary on Joe Vito Mastronardo's operation

2011-02-13T11:20:00.000-05:00

I should have posted this earlier, but forgot. Nothing new, really, but here are Dave Schratwieser (Fox 29 TV) and George Anastasia (Inquirer) discussing Mastronardo:

Sports Betting Arbitrage (and more)

2011-01-17T15:41:00.001-05:00

I was going to post this at a later date, but the Billy Walters appearance on 60 Minutes last night, complete with its references and analogies to stock trading, made me reconsider. As I explain in Gaming the Game, big-time sports bettors often rely on far more than solid handicapping to succeed. Often times, this means they obtain inside information (a subtopic I find as fascinating as anything else I have discovered during the research for the new book), and on many other occasions arbitraging is involved. Though I am an avid sports fan who knows plenty of bettors, I had never heard of sports betting arbitrage before this project. A common definition of arbitrage is "The purchase of securities on one market for immediate resale on another market in order to profit from a price discrepancy." Another site similarly explains, "An arbitrage opportunity is the opportunity to buy an asset at a low price then immediately selling it on a different market for a higher price."

Importantly, consequential sports bettors apply these principles to their craft with equal alacrity. One particular pro gambler highlighted in GTG made an incredible living just by arbitraging, particularly before the advent of the internet (which made real-time odds from multiple sportsbooks widely available, thus negating the benefit certain pro gamblers had who maintained a network of sportsbooks and bookies constantly providing real-time odds changes over the phone).* As one web site explains re: arbitrage in sports betting, "An arbitrage is available when pricing discrepancies between betting sites allow [bettors] to place bets that will yield a guaranteed risk-free profit." Though there are several forms arbitrage can take, the most common among the pro gamblers I interviewed is often referred to simply as "One Good, Two Markets" and is summed up as follows:

One Good, Two Markets Arbitrage in Sports Gambling

Arbitrage of the "One good, Two markets" variety is quite common in the world of sports gambling. Arbitrage on the sports market exists because different betting agencies often post different odds on the outcome of a game. Suppose the White Sox are playing the Red Sox. Bookmaker Billy is giving even money on the game, so a $100 bet placed on either team will earn you $100 if the team you picked wins. Sportsman Steve has the White Sox at +200, which means if you place a $100 bet with Steve on the White Sox to win, you will get $200 if they win, and $100 if they lose. You can guarantee yourself a profit if you make the following bets:

Place a $300 bet on the Red Sox with Billy at even odds.
Place a $200 bet on the White Sox with Steve at +200.

In baseball there are no ties. So either the Red Sox will win, or the White Sox will win.

Profit if the Red Sox Win

If the Red Sox win, Billy pays you $300. However since the White Sox lost, you lost your bet with Steve and must pay him $200. Your profit is $100, as that's the difference between what Billy pays you and what you must pay Steve.

Profit if the White Sox Win

Since the bet you made with Steve on the White Sox was at +200, Steve pays you $400 for your $200 bet. Since the Red Sox lost, you must pay Billy $300. Again your profit is $100, represented by the difference of what Steve pays you and what you must pay Billy.

There are a number of gamblers who try to exploit differences in odds from bookmaker to bookmaker. It's not quite as profitable as it seems, as the odds do not generally differ as much as they do in this example, plus you have to pay the bookmaker in order to place the bet as that's how they make their money.

*The pro gambler I am referencing also employed a host of other non-handicapping approaches to sports betting. Among the numerous resources available in books, articles, etc., the best free and credible source I have located to date that explains the sorts of methods used by pro gamblers like the one I am discussing is here. Pay particular attention to the section "Betting Blind = Big Money" and its subsections "Find 'Positive Subsets'" and "Learn what a 'point is worth'." Also see "Beware the Sharp Book" and "Scalps and Middles".

Brief comments on the Billy Walters 60 Minutes appearance

2011-01-17T07:12:00.000-05:00

I don't think the 60 Minutes piece that aired last night broke any ground for those who have remotely followed the remarkable career of Billy Walters. However, it was probably noteworthy for the majority of viewers who likely know little if anything about white-collar pro gamblers - those who have nothing to do with organized crime and who treat sports betting as a legitimate profession. This small and exclusive crowd (of which Walters is by far the most consequential) employs sound business practices, including (as referenced last night) recruiting the best workforce possible, which usually means some combination of statisticians, handicappers, and a trusted coterie of movers and runners who must jump at a moment's notice to place (often large) bets at the desired number (betting line/point spread). These are precisely the types of individuals I have spent two-plus years researching, including a focus on pro gambler/mover Jimmy Battista, who worked with/for several of the world's heavy hitters. [Re: white-collar pro gamblers, also see, for example, my post re: Joseph "Joe Vito" Mastronardo.]

Other items that rang true in re: the sociology of big-time betting in the 60 Minutes piece were: the use of Don Best (this was the interactive site Billy Walters was viewing during the segment to track dozens of betting line moves in real time), which is a necessity for anyone who wishes to bet seriously; and the manipulation of betting lines by pro gamblers to obtain a more favorite line/point spread. Regarding this latter point, this is precisely why it is risky to try and copy the bets of sharp bettors like Walters. That is, even if one was somehow privy to his bets, it is impossible to know if this is the "right" side, or if this is a "head fake" or "phony bet" to get the sucker money to follow and eventually force sportsbooks to change the line to a number Walters or another sharp plans on betting heavily on the other side. I have embedded an online version of the segment below, but don't know how long this will be available (my apologies for the slightly irregular manner in which this runs in a blog):

The World's Most Consequential Sports Bettor

2011-01-15T16:08:00.023-05:00

In the course of researching the big-time sports betting world, I soon discovered there was unanimous agreement among the dozens of people I interviewed (bookies, runners, movers, sportsbook managers, and pro gamblers) as to who the world's most significant and influential sports bettor is and has been for some time - Billy Walters. It has been widely reported that Walters is the "Rick Matthews" featured in Michael Konik's The Smart Money (which I have noted before, and which I reference in Gaming the Game). Anyone interested in the history and sociology of the highest level of sports betting would be wise to start with a look at the man heralded as the head of The Computer Group.

Notwithstanding my quite serious concerns about the ability of 60 Minutes to uphold its reputation for biting and incisive reporting, I am eager to see their look (however superficial) at Walters tomorrow night (Sunday, January 16, 2011).

Robert E. Brennan released from prison/duped investors still seeking funds

2011-01-12T05:43:00.000-05:00

Robert Brennan is back in the news this week, following the successful completion of his prison sentence. According to the AP, Brennan spent months in a Newark halfway house following his time in FCI at Fort Dix. [Note: NJ.com ran the same AP article here, which may be of use if Philly.com deactivates the Inquirer link as is its custom within a few weeks of an article's publication.]

Importantly, the coverage also offers an update on some of the outstanding financial judgments against Brennan. I have always found this area of securities fraud enforcement fascinating - and equally frustrating - in large part because offenders very rarely compensate their victims in any meaningful way (either because the ill-gotten money has been squandered and/or successfully hidden, and/or because victims are fighting with government agencies who want their own judgments paid, and/or because lawyers fighting on behalf of duped investors are entitled to their own piece of the judgment pie). In the specific rulings against Brennan, the AP article offers the following updates:

*Regarding a $55 million judgment against Brennan in a class-action suit brought by investors, less than half of that figure has been recovered.

*Regarding a $75 million judgment against him in a Securities and Exchange Commission case, the SEC has collected $29 million.

*Regarding a $45 million judgment against him in a New Jersey Bureau of Securities case, the state has been paid approximately $5 million. [Another article regarding this case notes that 27,000 investors/victims are eligible to file for a portion of the $5 million.]

Philly's Underworld: A Complicated and Fascinating Melting Pot

2010-12-31T11:41:00.000-05:00

Far from the simplistic treatment often afforded organized crime in the media, the underworld commonly consists of various groups operating various rackets and affording various services. At times these groups compete to monopolize a territory or market, but more often than not they find themselves operating peacefully beside - if not in concert with - each other. The reasons for harmony in the underworld are numerous and most are fairly obvious, especially the desire to avoid attracting the attention of law enforcement. Importantly, savvy groups also befriend seeming rivals because illicit entrepreneurs are constantly in need of funds, products, and services - often at a moment's notice, and must rely upon fellow criminals for things like moving hot money, street-level financing and credit, easy access to narcotics and other goods to offset product lost or stolen or seized by authorities, etc.

These inter-relationships were exhibited time and again in Philadelphia during organized crime's heyday in the city. The 1960s, 70s, and early 1980s saw members of Philadelphia's predominant Italian-American crime syndicate, the Bruno Family, work in coordination with the city's loosely-defined Greek and Irish mobs, and especially with the city's more organized and notorious (and self-named) Black Mafia. It was also during these times that mobsters of various backgrounds allied themselves with union bosses, affording the involved parties with an assortment of benefits. Such patron-client networks embody the fabric of organized crime.

Though I have spoken and written extensively about this phenomenon, the topic occurred to me recently when I was informed the book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt was being made into a film. The adaptation of the book, which tells the story of the late Wilmington, Delaware Teamster leader Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, supposedly involves the unreal combination of Martin Scorcese, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. Wow. Regardless of how true to history I Heard is, the film should at least be entertaining. In real life, one event perfectly captured the odd times and circumstances surrounding Frank Sheeran vis-a-vis Philly racketeers: "Frank Sheeran Appreciation Night" in October 1974. Held at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, the event consisted of the following who's who at the time: Sheeran was joined on the dais by Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo, former Teamsters head Jimmy Hoffa, Roofer's Union Local 30 head John McCullough, legendary civil rights leader Cecil Moore, and former Philadelphia District Attorney F. Emmett Fitzpatrick; the front table had upstate PA mob boss Russell Bufalino seated with his close friend, Philly mob boss Angelo Bruno; and assorted gangsters populated the surrounding tables. To make this still more surreal, Jerry Vale was the evening's entertainment. Sheeran, of course, would soon be tied to Hoffa's July 1975 disappearance.

I wrote briefly about Sheeran's role in Philly's underworld milieu in Black Brothers, Inc., including and especially his close relationship with Roofer's Union boss John McCullough. The Philadelphia Inquirer's George Anastasia put together a great "Mob Scene" vid clip about a year ago regarding McCullough, who was murdered in December 1980 as part of an infamous underworld dispute.

Joseph "Joe Vito" Mastronardo

2010-12-15T15:28:00.006-05:00

Discussed intermittently throughout my new book on big-time sports betting, Joseph “Joe Vito” Mastronardo has long been one of the most consequential bookmakers and bettors on the East Coast. Even casual news followers in the Philadelphia area are familiar with the 60 year-old “white-collar” (i.e., not affiliated with organized crime) pro gambler, who most recently made headlines in April 2010 when the FBI confiscated approximately $2 million following his arrest for gambling-related offenses. Authorities dug up approximately $1 million in his front lawn, where the cash was buried within 18-inch capped sections of PVC piping under shrubs and other landscaping. Authorities executed 46 related search and seizure warrants in 13 locations in the Philadelphia area and in Boca Raton, Florida, targeting homes, vehicles, bank accounts, and safe deposit boxes. Officials also seized Mastronardo’s records and, perhaps more importantly, his computers. [Please note there is commentary below the related pics and vid clips.]

Unfortunately, the superficial media coverage of Joe Vito’s 2010 arrest and seizure almost universally misses the mark, and Gaming the Game: The Story Behind the NBA Betting Scandal and the Gambler Who Made It Happen (Barricade, 2011) contains the first serious context for these events and for the related (and ongoing) federal investigation.

In November 2010, Mastronardo was sentenced to 8 - 59.5 months for violating the probation stemming from his 2006 guilty plea in a local (Montgomery County, PA) case. Unlike the 2006 case, Montco officials have deferred to federal officials who have yet to charge Mastronardo in the current investigation. The 2006 case garnered considerable attention because Montco authorities executed 24 related search warrants resulting in a record $2.7 million being seized from Mastronardo’s betting operation. Prosecutors opted to charge Mastronardo and his brother with misdemeanors rather than with felonies (which were applicable) because the brothers forfeited the $2.7 million. Though facing 10 years in prison, Joe Vito received 6 months of house arrest followed by more than six years of probation.*

Joseph "Joe Vito" Mastronardo

The primary figure in Gaming the Game is former pro gambler – and longtime Joe Vito associate/partner – Jimmy Battista, who revered Mastronardo for his brilliant mind and no-nonsense business approach. Much of Joe Vito’s impressive career is presented in GTG, and the 2006 Montco situation is examined in the greatest detail to date (for reasons relating to Jimmy Battista’s activities vis-à-vis Mastronardo, none of which are as yet public knowledge).

Serious NBA betting scandal followers may recall that it was Joe Vito’s phone records that were first subpoenaed in the FBI probe which led to the successful prosecution of the scandal’s three conspirators (Battista, referee Tim Donaghy, and mutual friend Tommy Martino). Until now, there has been no explanation offered for this curiosity. Gaming the Game provides the inside story of the unbelievable and consequential circumstances.

12/21/20 UPDATE: Joe Vito was released from jail on December 20, 2010, and will serve the remainder of his term under house arrest. Mastronardo, who must wear an electronic ankle bracelet and request permission to leave his home, is still awaiting the outcome of a federal investigation into his gambling activities.

*Note: I have not linked to related articles that appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer or Philadelphia Daily News, even though they were almost always the most substantive, because they are no longer available online without a subscription to their archives. For those parties who have such access, see the work of George Anastasia (Inquirer) and Kitty Caparella (Daily News).

Philadelphia's Black Mafia on TV and online

2010-12-14T19:01:00.001-05:00

I posted a long time ago about the popular Black Entertainment Television (BET) American Gangster program. The opening episode of AG Season Two was based on my Black Brothers, Inc.: The Violent Rise and Fall of Philadelphia's Black Mafia (Milo, 2005/07), and I have been inundated with correspondence ever since. This is particularly true now that the program routinely airs on other networks such as Bio and Centric TV. BET now offers the entire episode ("Philly Black Mafia: 'Do For Self'") online, and it appears below (with a few, brief commercials):

BET Videos

Mob Scene on Tommy Hill

2010-12-13T15:01:00.000-05:00

I posted a brief update on Tommy Hill in September 2009. Here is George Anastasia's summary of things (where Black Brothers, Inc. readers will hear familiar names such as Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, Shamsud-din Ali, and Kaboni Savage):

Mob Scene on William "Big Billy" D'Elia

2010-12-13T11:25:00.000-05:00

Black Brothers, Inc. (2007) readers will notice the concluding chapters are preoccupied with corruption and white-collar crimes relating to the former syndicate and/or involving Black Mafia alums. Included in these narratives is a discussion regarding William "Big Billy" D'Elia, successor to the late Russell Bufalino as reputed Wilkes Barre/Scranton mob boss. Among other related matters, the FBI tracked D'Elia (who had a reputation as a "waste broker") to a 2001 meeting with onetime Black Mafia heavy Shamsud-din Ali (formerly Clarence Fowler), where the two discussed plans to form a demolition company with the hopes of obtaining contracts from Philadelphia's John Street Administration (with whom Ali was extremely close; Ali was later among 20 others who were convicted or pleaded guilty in a massive FBI corruption probe of the Street Administration, though not relating to the D'Elia matter). Here is George Anastasia's update on D'Elia:

Mob Scene on Raymond "Long John" Martorano

2010-12-13T11:02:00.000-05:00

As discussed in Black Brothers, Inc., Raymond "Long John" Martorano formed a partnership with imprisoned Black Mafia heavyweights Lonnie Dawson and Nudie Mims to run a massive heroin distribution network in the early 1980s. Martorano was housed in Philadelphia's Detention Center with Dawson, who was the institution's most influential prisoner. Dawson, who had corrupted guards with various goods and services, met regularly with Afghan heroin smugglers and dictated the drug traffic from inside the prison walls for several of the city's most consequential territories. Martorano's son, George ("Cowboy"), was an intermediary between Martorano/Dawson and Nudie Mims, who was running a similar network out of Graterford Prison, where he was serving a life sentence for murder. On FBI wiretaps, Mims and Dawson were recorded saying they could sell $400,000 worth of heroin per month.

Mob Scene on Black Mafia alum Ricardo McKendrick

2010-12-13T10:29:00.000-05:00

I blogged about this in April 2008 (here and here), when Ricardo McKendrick, an influential Black Mafia figure circa 1973, was arrested following the largest seizure of cocaine (600 pounds) in Philadelphia history.

Mob Scene on Kaboni Savage

2010-12-12T18:33:00.000-05:00

As I have mentioned elsewhere on this blog, the cases of Dawud Bey and Kaboni Savage have been in the news since the 2007 update of Black Brothers, Inc.: The Violent Rise and Fall of Philadelphia's Black Mafia (Milo), where they are discussed in considerable detail. In this regard, Philly.com's Mob Scene with George Anastasia has offered the following. BBI readers will hear familiar names such as Shamsud-din Ali, Gerald Thomas, Eugene Coleman, RAM Squad and more when viewing this vid clip and others on the site (also see, for example, "Two Drug Kingpins: Witness intimidation, murder, and two drug kingpins"):

Philly.com's Mob Scene videos

2010-12-12T16:35:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of Philly.com's Mob Scene with George Anastasia, which features concise but substantive interviews of the acclaimed Inquirer reporter. The vignettes, which are roughly five minutes in length, are produced by area great Jim Barry (formerly at CBS3) and afford viewers with a nice blend of imagery and great reporting. Now that I have the time, I'll be linking to and/or embedding several pieces from their archives (some of which are more than a year old) that are directly related to my research agenda. Hopefully, the videos will add context to what I have penned. Few people know the region's underworld and related criminal justice apparatus as well as George.

Gaming the Game: Some tidbits on what readers can expect to see

2010-12-12T09:23:00.001-05:00

http://nbascandal.blogspot.com/2010/12/some-tidbits-on-what-readers-can-expect.html

Gaming the Game press and tv/film rights inquiries

2010-10-31T15:03:00.001-04:00

A quick note for interest parties (press and tv/film entities) in advance of the release of Gaming the Game: The Story Behind the NBA Betting Scandal and the Gambler Who Made It Happen (Barricade, 2011):

I would very much appreciate members of the press contacting me through Chuck Marsh of Penn State's University Relations Office.

Parties interested in the tv/film rights to Gaming the Game should contact Judith Karfiol at (323) 463-4800.

Thanks as always for your understanding.

Black Brothers, Inc. update: Defunct drug-dealing rap group RAM Squad in the news

2010-09-29T06:29:00.000-04:00

John Wilson, aka Tommy Hill (his stage name), is back in the news. Wilson's/Hill's RAM Squad exploits are discussed throughout the concluding chapters of Black Brothers, Inc. (2007 edition), especially on pages 236-7.

Black Brothers, Inc. update: Dawud Bey back in the news

2010-05-28T06:40:00.000-04:00

Discussed quite a bit in the latter portion of the updated (2007) version of my Black Brothers, Inc, Dawud Bey is back in the news. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Bey, 41, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison yesterday "for witness-tampering conspiracy, half of which is to be served after he completes a sentence he's serving for a drug-conspiracy conviction...Bey was overheard on jailhouse tapes threatening to kill three witnesses - Paul Daniels, Craig Oliver and Robert Wilks - or their family members, according to court papers."

Gaming the Game cover and promo text

2010-05-06T14:15:00.000-04:00

The cover and brief promo text for my new book on the NBA betting scandal can be found here.

Gaming the Game

2010-04-02T06:54:00.000-04:00

Quick update on my forthcoming book on my NBA Scandal blog.

Interview and Black Brothers, Inc. mention in March 2010 Playboy issue

2010-03-04T07:18:00.001-05:00

I was interviewed some time ago by journalist/author Frank Owen for a piece he was writing on the Philly underworld. In particular, he was examining the widely-publicized murder of party promoter Rian Thal and the sociology of the area's drug trade. The lengthy and compelling article appears in the March 2010 issue of Playboy. Though for obvious reasons I can't link to the article on this quasi-academic blog, the Black Brothers, Inc. mention appears in the following context:

"As one of Philadelphia’s top party promoters, Thal was privy to powerful personalities in the entertainment industry and in the drug underworld. She stood at the nexus of a trickle-up economy, an intermingling of dirty and clean money. 'You see those worlds intertwined all the time in Philadelphia, going back to the 1960s,' says Sean Patrick Griffin, author of Black Brothers, Inc. The Violent Rise and Fall of Philadelphia’s Black Mafia, about the ruthless gang that ruled the local drug trade in the 1960s and 1970s. The figure from the past most reminiscent of Thal, says Griffin, is Major Benjamin Coxson, an outwardly respectable businessman and mayoral candidate who was even profiled in Time magazine before he was shot execution-style in 1973. Coxson was a financier for the Black Mafia and also rented out luxury apartments, some of which were used as stash houses, others as the site for sex and drug- saturated after-hours parties for music and sporting celebrities. 'It was only the real exclusive people who could get into these parties,' says Griffin. 'Very much like Rian Thal, Coxson brought together high society and low society. Thal was the hip-hop generation’s version of Major Coxson.'”

Dawud Bey pleads guilty to witness intimidation

2010-03-02T04:32:00.000-05:00

I have been so consumed with putting the finishing touches on my forthcoming book on the NBA betting scandal that I haven't posted about the ongoing cases against Kaboni Savage and Dawud Bey. The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News cover Bey's guilty plea in today's papers. Savage and Bey are given considerable attention in my Black Brothers, Inc.: The Violent Rise and Fall of Philadelphia's Black Mafia (Milo, 2007).

Donaghy media blitzkrieg on NBA Scandal blog

2009-12-11T15:25:00.000-05:00

Latest media coverage of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy's book tour and revelations re: NBA betting scandal at my http://nbascandal.blogspot.com/

BET's American Gangster on Philly's Black Mafia

2009-12-06T19:10:00.000-05:00

Black Entertainment Television (BET) has posted the entire (40 min.) "Philly Black Mafia: 'Do for Self'" episode of their wildly popular American Gangster program. I mentioned the program in a broader context elsewhere, but have never commented specifically on this episode - which is based on my Black Brothers, Inc.: The Violent Rise and Fall of Philadelphia's Black Mafia (Milo, 2005/2007). The producer, Henry Schipper, certainly did his homework, much of which never made it into the relatively brief show (covering 40 years in 40 minutes was quite a challenge for him and his colleagues, obviously). The final product is a great representation of the story, told by several of the people who lived the experience and thus know it best.

Black Brothers, Inc. film update

2009-12-06T15:47:00.000-05:00

http://blackbrothersinc.blogspot.com/2009/12/script-for-black-brothers-inc-film-i.html

NBA Scandal blog updates

2009-12-05T05:36:00.001-05:00

Please see http://nbascandal.blogspot.com/ for several updates concerning former referee Tim Donaghy, former pro gambler Jimmy "Baba" Battista, and the evolving story.

HBO's Real Sports on the NBA Scandal update

2009-11-24T18:46:00.000-05:00

http://nbascandal.blogspot.com/2009/11/hbos-real-sports-on-nba-scandal.html
This update is likely a sign of things to come and there will be considerable updates to the NBA scandal blog in the coming days and weeks.

NBA scandal blog update

2009-11-18T15:07:00.000-05:00

A quick commentary on the fiasco regarding NBA referee Tim Donaghy's proposed book, Blowing the Whistle.

Tigre Hill/Barrel of a Gun

2009-11-18T15:01:00.000-05:00

On occasion, I am asked about Philadelphia-based filmmaker - and muckraker - Tigre Hill. I came to know Tigre during the course of research for my Black Brothers, Inc. At the time, he and I were each concluding our respective (and independent) investigations of corruption in Mayor John Street’s administration. His work resulted in a critically-acclaimed documentary named Shame of a City. We’ve since become good friends, assisting each other on our various projects whenever possible.

His forthcoming project, Barrel of a Gun, examines in detail the 1981 slaying of Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner and the myriad events that followed the conviction of Mumia Abu-Jamal (Wesley Cook).

I don't tweet - or anything of the sort, but you can follow the project here.

He takes his craft quite seriously and has been working studiously on this important history. I'll be sure to offer updates as the project nears completion.

Black Brothers, Inc. film status

2009-10-09T15:09:00.000-04:00

Predictably, I get asked fairly frequently about the film adaptation of my Black Brothers, Inc. Unfortunately, the process is slow and tedious, and I can't speak publicly about all the behind-the-scenes goings on. There will be some updates appearing in media circles shortly, at which point I'll post the material as it becomes available.

Note: As has been posted elsewhere, City Paper's Mary Patel spent some time looking into the project and posted her tidbits here and here.

NBA Betting Scandal Tidbits

2009-10-07T19:02:00.000-04:00

This is ridiculously light, for a host of reasons (not the least of which is that the established/public version of the scandal is overly simplistic and error-prone, making a synopsis here problematic). So...here at least is the state of affairs regarding the offending parties:

Each of the three participants in the NBA betting scandal pleaded guilty and was sentenced to federal prison. Pro gambler Jimmy Battista and his lifelong pal Tommy Martino were sentenced on July 11, 2008, while referee and mutual friend (and fellow Cardinal O’Hara High alum) Tim Donaghy was sentenced on July 14, 2008. For his admitted crimes (i.e., illegal gambling), Battista received a sentence of 15 months. Donaghy and Martino were each sentenced to 12 months in prison, and all three men began serving time in September 2008. As of October 2009, each man has successfully completed his term.

The seminal coverage of the scandal in the NY Post on July 20, 2007:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/nba_in_fix_mzNx4ZfycI4QMuYYUlReVP

Link to an ESPN story covering referee Tim Donaghy's sentencing. There is an incredible assortment of links to scandal analysis in the sidebar (I'll be addressing the predictable, though arguably misguided, focus on Donaghy in the very near future):

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3509440

The NBA’s so-called “Pedowitz Report” (about which I’ll have quite a bit to say in the near future):

http://www.nba.com/media/PedowitzReport.pdf

Or here:

http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/_documents/100208nba_pedowitz.pdf

The Federal Wire Act:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Wire_Act

Related - though not necessarily suggested - reading (in alphabetical order by author):

Steve Budin, Bets, Drugs, and Rock & Roll (New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing, 2007).

Richard O. Davies and Richard G. Abram, Betting the Line: Sports Wagering in American Life (Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University Press, 2001).

James Jeffries and Charles Oliver, The Book on Bookies: An Inside Look at a Successful Sports Gambling Operation (Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2000).

Michael Konik, The Smart Money: How the World’s Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies Out of Millions (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2006).

Michael Lewis, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2003).

Chad Millman, The Odds: One Season, Three Gamblers, and the Death of Their Las Vegas (Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press [Perseus], 2001).

David G. Schwartz, Cutting the Wire: Gaming Prohibition and the Internet (Reno, NV: University of Nevada Press, 2005).

My Forthcoming Book on Gambling/NBA Betting Scandal

2009-10-06T06:42:00.000-04:00

Though not expressly my research area, illicit gambling has never been far from my organized crime work. Certainly, the two-degrees of separation that often mark the underworld commonly involve the extortion of bookies by local syndicates. Further still, organized crime groups usually have complex relationships with bookies (and with bettors, for that matter). These complicated areas include: financial assistance (usually in the form of loan sharking by the syndicate, though there may be occasions bookies and bettors in fact assist the crime organization) to “mediation” between various parties to money laundering and so on. For these reasons - and more, I wholeheartedly welcomed the opportunity to research the recent NBA betting scandal when granted access to the scandal’s progenitor, professional gambler James Battista, back in March of 2008.

Researching the NBA betting scandal has consumed my time and energy since I first interviewed the man known in big-time betting circles as “the Sheep” - Jimmy “Baba” Battista - in the spring of 2008. This, in large part, explains the lack of updated blog postings here. The new book, like practically all else I have penned, relies upon a mix of numerous interviews, court and law enforcement documents, and related media coverage. Battista did not cooperate with authorities, and has not spoken publicly about the extent, duration and mechanics of the outrageous scheme. Though the book details the activities which placed him in federal prison, it also discusses his remarkable bookmaking and betting career, and examines the fascinating, close-knit fraternity of the world’s most consequential sports bettors.

Now that the research and writing of the tentatively titled Not Sharp Enough: Confessions of a Professional Gambler is all but complete, more will be posted about the current project as events warrant.

A note to my students and colleagues: Whereas Black Brothers, Inc.: The Violent Rise and Fall of Philadelphia’s Black Mafia (Milo, 2005/07) was a conventional read that followed considerable academic writing on similar and related subject matter, Not Sharp Enough will be mainstream reading followed by academic journal articles (and perhaps an academic text on the general sociology and history of big-time betting).

Ricardo McKendrick (Black Mafia) update

2009-01-26T07:52:00.000-05:00

George Anastasia of the Philadelphia Inquirer penned an interesting article on the narcotics case involving Black Mafia alum Ricardo McKendrick:

Insider information could help authorities target drug kingpins

The US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has posted McKendrick's recent indictment (in .pdf format):

April 2008 Indictment of Ricardo McKendrick, Sr. and Ricardo McKendrick, Jr.

For previous coverage of McKendrick's situation, see:

Philly's Black Mafia in the news (again)

International justice links

2008-04-12T15:03:00.000-04:00

Though you wouldn't necessarily know it based on recent history, I have traditionally paid considerable attention to international criminal justice issues.

Most often my work focused on transnational organized crime (especially illicit trades and related money laundering) with a bit of research into law enforcement and other forms of social control. For seven summers beginning in the 1990s, I had the fortunate opportunity to study and teach at Leiden University in The Netherlands.

Those experiences - the lessons learned and relationships formed - continue to influence much of my work. Interested parties may wish to consult the following:

Dutch-specific
Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR)
The Dutch Ministry of Justice
WODC Homepage
Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Transnational crime (in no particular order)
Nathanson Centre for the Study of Organized Crime and Corruption
The Transnational Crime and Corruption Center at American University
International Association for the Study of Organized Crime
IALEIA
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
Consular Affairs
CIA - The World Factbook - Guide to Country Profiles
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
International Center | National Institute of Justice
Office of International Criminal Justice

White-collar crime links

2008-04-11T21:08:00.000-04:00

I am often asked where to locate various data and more general information regarding white-collar crime. What follows is a list of sites helpful to those researching/investigating white-collar crime. Needless to say, the list - which is broken down by category - is not exhaustive. These represent the sites I find most useful in the course of my work. I welcome any suggestions for inclusion.

The inclusion of any links to firms, attorneys or other "for profit" entities should not be interpreted as endorsements for them or for their products. These have been included most often because they conveniently provide items of interest, such as links to other relevant sites, glossaries of terms, etc.

White-Collar Crime Research "Centers"

White Collar Crime Program

John Jay College - The Center on Cybercrime Studies

Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

Economic Crime Institute

Center for Identity Management and Information Protection

NATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME RESEARCH

International White-Collar Crime Centers

About Computer Crime Research Center

Controlling White Collar Crime

NW4C

WCC-Related Sites

Government/funded

FINRA - About FINRA

FINRA Investor Education Foundation - Home Page

NASAA

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)

www.ic3.gov

United States Secret Service: Electronic Crimes Task Forces and Working Groups

U.S. Internal Revenue Service

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Search the EDGAR Database

SEC Actions

Quasi-government/funded

National White Collar Crime Center

National White Collar Crime Center - Partnerships

Welcome to CERT!

Private

International Due Diligence, Investigations and Compliance Solutions from NFC Global, LLC

Association of Certified Fraud Examiners

Misc.

White-collar crime - Wex

White Collar Crime Prof Blog

What's Behind the Drop in Corporate Fraud Indictments?

A Former Fraudster Speaks Out about White Collar Crime

The Exclusive Source of Practical Fraud-Fighting Advice

A Former Fraudster Speaks Out about White Collar Crime

Fraud Fighter Blog

The Pros and The Cons! Gary Zeune White-Collar Crime Presentations Speakers

Securities Law -Rules Regulations Arbitration Litigation NASD NYSE SEC

Corporate Counsel Center - White Collar Crime

S.C. Opens Nation's First Cyber Crime Center

Journal of Financial Crime - About the Journal

Journal of Economic Crime Management

International Journal of Digital Evidence

International Association for the Study of Organized Crime

Nathanson Centre for the Study of Organized Crime and Corruption

The Transnational Crime and Corruption Center at American University

Welcome to the International Center

CSIS - About CSIS

Ethics/Corporate Governance Institutes

Dartmouth College ELSI Institute :: About the Institute

CU Rutland Ethics

Institute for Global Ethics | Home Page

The National Institute of Ethics

International Business Ethics Institute (IBEI)

Rock Ethics Institute

Georgetown Business Ethics Institute

The Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics

Welcome to The Ethics Institute

The Millstein Center for Corporate Governance and Performance

Corporate Governance Center

Penny-stock fraud/First Jersey Securities

2008-04-11T21:05:00.002-04:00

Also commonly known as micro-cap stock fraud, this variant of "white-collar" crime has received little academic attention. This is problematic - and remarkable, when you consider how often such frauds are in the news. Penny-stock fraud (though not referred to as such) made its way onto the big screen in the 2000 film Boiler Room. The film fairly accurately depicts the sociology of such frauds - from the recruitment, hiring and "training" of stock scammers to the actual hustles that are all-too-often successful. For anyone seeking a sober, academic examination of boiler rooms more generally (though including financial scams), Robert J. Stevenson's classic The Boiler Room and Other Telephone Scams is invaluable.

Perhaps the most audacious of the firms known for massive penny-stock scams was Robert E. Brennan's First Jersey Securities, the subject of my current research. Unfortunately, what little I have written on the subject in academic journals is not available without subscription and thus can't be posted here. I could link to numerous internet pieces re: Brennan or FJS, but choosing which of the thousands of sites discussing the inter-related topics is a challenge. A quick primer can be found here in Forbes magazine, which dogged Brennan throughout his fabulous rise (and contributed to his precipitous fall).

As for Brennan, he resides in the Federal Correctional Facility (FCI) in Fort Dix, New Jersey, where he is serving time for bankruptcy fraud. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons web site, he is slated for release in December 2011.
Immediately below is a poor quality version of Brennan in the now-infamous Super Bowl commercial for First Jersey which ran in 1985.

One last note: Some useful resources for anyone researching or investigating stock frauds will soon be found on a page I am creating. These will be a blend of government and private agency sites, along with several academic and quasi-academic sites. Hopefully, when completed the page will become a tool for students and academics, and also for the general public. In advance of that comprehensive page, these may be of assistance:

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

SEC Penny Stock Rules

SEC Microcap Stock Guide for Investors

North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA)

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)

FBI White-Collar Crime and Fraud

Philly's Black Mafia in the news (again)

2008-04-11T21:01:00.000-04:00

Philadelphia-area media have been discussing what is believed to be the largest cocaine seizure in city history: more than 600 pounds of the product worth an estimated street value of $28 million. Two South Philadelphia men were arrested on April 2, 2008, including Ricardo McKendrick, Sr.

McKendrick, 56, as discussed in Black Brothers, Inc., was a Black Mafia member circa 1973, according to official law enforcement documents. In fact, McKendrick appeared in the infamous group photo taken in December 1973 at what was dubbed the "Black Mafia Ball" and included an amalgam of the syndicate's heavyweights and other associates. He appears (#2) on p. 97 of BBI (2007).

Some of the media coverage of the April 2, 2008 arrests can be found here [Note: Philadelphia Daily News and Philadelphia Inquirer links have been removed because they are deactivated within a week or so of an article's publication.]:

Fox 29 (Philadelphia) - also see the embedded video

Metro (Philadelphia)

Metro follow-up

Philadelphia's Sick Politics

2008-04-11T20:54:00.000-04:00

Even though Black Brothers, Inc. is first and foremost a non-fiction, true crime read, I have commonly said it is also a tale of politics and corruption involving complex race relations and media curiosities. After all, Philly's Black Mafia - in addition to engaging in the more traditional aspects of organized crime such as providing illicit services/goods and committing brutal acts of violence - exploited religion and especially race. This included manipulating several public and private initiatives ostensibly aimed at helping the black underclass and at decreasing crime in the inner city.

Though I have been rather critical of the Philadelphia Inquirer on many occasions, the paper was generous enough to invite me to offer my take on the city's political culture, based on the conclusion to BBI. My submission was edited slightly, and the following op-ed was published on September 21, 2005. The paper gets the credit for the snappy title and for the related political cartoon.

Philadelphia's Sick Politics

Sean Patrick Griffin is associate professor in the administration of justice at Penn State Abington.

When I talk with people in Philadelphia and its suburbs about the federal criminal probes of the city’s municipal operations, most of them call me naïve and say that federal investigators and prosecutors are wasting their time, and thus our tax money. In this view, what is being investigated (and, by the way, successfully prosecuted) is “just business.” My response is some version of No!”

True, private business often involves promises, curious deals, lavish gifts heaped on those being courted for contracts, and so on. But in the world of private business, if the brokered deal results in a less satisfactory or more costly product provided to the consumer, it’s not likely the deal will continue.

In municipal business, this model does not apply. A consumer in the private marketplace can choose among brands for a given product, but taxpayers (consumers) rely on government officials to choose among firms and entrepreneurs (brands). Corrupt officials know that, unlike in private business, consumers of city services have no way of knowing whether they are receiving the best product for the lowest price. Thus, various outsiders such as the media, watchdog groups, and law-enforcement officials are forever examining government deals looking for explicit and de facto cases of bribery, extortion and cronyism.

After so many years of pay-to-play culture, Philadelphia taxpayers have no way of calculating how much business, and thus tax revenue, has been lost because good firms stayed away from bidding for city contracts because they do not want to engage in such political chicanery. There’s also no way to estimate how much the costs of goods and services are inflated because the bidding process was fixed or otherwise illegitimate. U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan, in announcing indictments in June 2004, decried this city’s corrupt political system and its penchant for producing inferior work and chasing good firms away: “Who can blame them? When the game is rigged, why play at all?”

Some of the scams are rigged in a special Philly way. These concern the city’s Minority Business Enterprise Council (MBEC) apparatus. Other cities have seen crooked manipulations of the MBEC process by non-minorities. But in Philadelphia, it’s different. The city’s MBEC problems include racketeering schemes in which legitimate companies were effectively precluded from obtaining municipal work unless they dealt with specific MBEC-certified firms. In several cases unearthed by the Inquirer and other media, this has meant that otherwise above-board municipal contracts were tainted by no-show jobs and cost increases. Thus, instead of the more usual “donations” to gain access to government contracts, individuals have had to enlist the “services” – real or fictitious – of a politically connected minority subcontractor.

It’s pay-to-play with a savvy twist, since the outward appearance is morally and politically powerful. Politicians can claim they are champions of the “disadvantaged,” all the while conniving to funnel significant MBEC work to their wealthy, powerful, connected pals. This often results in kickbacks to these politicians or their political machines. All of this, of course, harms the real MBEC populations, while the pols pulling the strings claim more such deals are needed to reach the (legitimate, unconnected) minority-run firms that get shut out of the process.

Such scams have a long, too long, pedigree in this town. In their heyday 30 years ago, the city’s notorious Black Mafia similarly exploited government initiatives for poor, inner-city minorities, led by their infamous – and bogus – “community development” organization, Black Brothers, Inc. As I traced its contemporary ties to “legitimate” society through dizzying lists of corporate and nonprofit boards, it became clear that there was a remarkably tight-knit core of power brokers in the city. The city seems more like a small town with small-town politics orchestrated by long-standing ties among a select, powerful few.

Many Philadelphians have accepted cronyism. Others seem to take a bizarre, macho pride in the wink-and-a-nod status quo. So it’s not entirely surprising that a prominent civic leader recently suggested renaming Spring Garden Elementary School in honor of the late power lawyer Ron White, whose name is now closely linked with the corruption scandals.

Because of Philadelphia’s decades-long single-party rule, the ingrained political culture, and the lack of public outrage (other than from those who have fled the city), I believe convicted former City Treasurer Corey Kemp when he says – from his jail confines – “I didn’t think I was doing anything criminal.” After all, to him it was probably just business.

African-American Organized Crime: On Screen and In Print

2008-04-11T20:47:00.002-04:00

The topic of African-American organized crime has probably never been more widely discussed, particularly considering the popularity of the recent film American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.
American Gangster ostensibly depicts the life story of Frank Lucas, and includes brief mentions of another infamous NYC-based drug dealer named Leroy "Nicky" Barnes. The two have since gotten their fair share of media coverage. Personally, I would have preferred a film - and thus related media attention - on the other African-American gangster based in New York from that era who also had international ties: Frank Matthews. To my knowledge, Matthews is still on the loose, after jumping bail in 1973, and is widely assumed to be in a foreign land enjoying the millions of illicit proceeds he had squirreled away in the offshore financial underground. In any event, the hoopla surrounding the Washington-Crowe film has added to the discussions already underway because of HBO's critically-acclaimed show The Wire, and because of BET's hit documentary program American Gangster, which is unrelated to the feature film (although an episode of AG in its second season examined Frank Lucas).

To someone who has researched black organized crime for more than 15 years, and who has endured the ignorance and reticence of various audiences in the media and in academia to this topic, projects such as these (however sensational) are refreshing and needed additions to the otherwise myopic and stereotypical discussions of the underworld. Why it took this long to get such significant historical and sociological phenomena into the mainstream is its own fascinating and frustrating story, one which needs examining.

Latest on BBI in the news (including film updates)

2008-04-11T20:47:00.001-04:00

Back in November 2007, Philadelphia Weekly discussed Black Brothers, Inc. in the context of the film American Gangster.

In January of 2007, Philadelphia's City Paper dug into the Black Brothers, Inc. film project. The article's author, Mary Patel, wrote that writer/director Vondie Curtis-Hall appeared on television and mentioned he was writing the Black Brothers, Inc. script for "Warner Brothers for Leonardo DiCaprio". She recently added a few more details about the project.

Patel correctly notes that I am not in a position to speak publicly about the behind-the-scenes action taking place with the film project.

There was considerable media attention throughout 2005-06 that I am not linking to here, simply because much of that discussion is outdated (assuming it is still available in the first place). A basic Google search for "Black Brothers, Inc." (including the quotation marks) should suffice for those looking for more coverage. This blog will be updated with new coverage as it appears.

Posted BBI interview streams

2008-04-11T20:42:00.001-04:00

Please accept my apologies in advance if either of the following two links have been deactivated. As time has passed since BBI was first released in 2005, many other links have already (predictably) been moved or removed.

BET Videos

Unfortunately, easily the best interview of the BBI 2005 "tour" appeared on the Pennsylvania Cable Network, and is not streamed on the net. The 1-hour interview was conducted by host Brian Lockman, who was as well-versed on the book as anyone I have encountered. The resulting interview, which was part of the network's impressive "PA Books" program, was thorough and incisive. Re-runs of the interview occur infrequently, and the BBI episode is available from the PCN web site.

Black Brothers, Inc. reviews

2008-04-11T20:26:00.003-04:00

Here is a sampling of reviews the book received:

“Griffin did extensive research and backs up his claims carefully...If you're a crime buff, a history lover, or if you just want something fascinating to read, it's a book you can't refuse."

Terri Schlichenmeyer, syndicated reviewer and host of www.BookWormSez.com

“A gripping story…Griffin richly documents the Black Mafia’s organization, outreach and over-the-top badness.”

Joseph N. DiStefano, Philadelphia Inquirer

“A great, sprawling epic.”

Duane Swierczynski, editor-in-chief, Philadelphia City Paper

"Sean Patrick Griffin has given us a really extensive look into the Black Mafia...and has produced one of best pieces of research on the underworld in this city that I have ever seen…The level of research, really copious research, I haven't seen anything on organized crime - of any kind - that is as well-documented as this."

Elmer Smith, Philadelphia Daily News columnist and host of "The Exchange" on Philadelphia’s leading African-American radio station, 1340AM WHAT

"The book is incredible…The documentation is so thorough, it’s unbelievable…We know about corruption, but this is beyond corruption. This is just amazing stuff."

Dom Giordano, radio host on Philly’s leading talk radio station 1210AM WPHT

“Black Brothers, Inc. is fascinating.”

Bernie McCain, considered the “Dean of Black Talk Radio” and host of “The Dean’s Talkroom” on the pre-eminent national African-American talk radio station, XM Radio’s The Power

"Sean Patrick Griffin has delivered a richly detailed narrative of the murderous history of the city's first African-American crime syndicate."

Kitty Caparella, Philadelphia Daily News

“I couldn’t put this book down.”

Keith Murphy, veteran award-winning broadcaster and host of the “Urban Journal” on XM Radio’s The Power

"Using the federal corruption probe as prologue and epilogue, Griffin presents a confident chronicle of Philly's Black Mafia, the decades-long collaboration among drug dealers, Muslim clerics and local politicians…Griffin disassembles the racist calumny about black crime: that it is violence born of convenience. Griffin punctures that myth with a salient detail that shows a criminal outfit highly organized: At early Black Mafia meetings, minutes were taken."

Sasha Issenberg, Philadelphia Magazine

"Sean Patrick Griffin, in surreal detail, lays out the twist and turns, the political and religious associations...Black Brothers Inc…a guaranteed chilling read."

The Melting Pot, Philadelphia

“Sean Patrick Griffin’s book on the Philly Black Mafia is searing, unrelenting and ruthlessly precise.”

Henry Schipper, producer and director for Black Entertainment Television’s American Gangster series

Black Brothers, Inc. (2005): Some reflections

2008-04-11T20:26:00.001-04:00

Since this blog is being created roughly four years after the research and writing for what became Black Brothers, Inc.: The Violent Rise and Fall of Philadelphia's Black Mafia, I thought it might be helpful to place some historical context here for interested parties.

I wrote an academic text entitled Philadelphia's Black Mafia: A Social and Political History (Kluwer) that was published in 2003.

The text was an extension of my Ph.D. dissertation, and thus was written in the expected academic prose. Further, unlike many mainstream reads, the text was designed to answer certain historical questions (e.g., is/was there such a thing as African-American organized crime, and if so, to what extent is crime "organized", etc.). Though I am proud of the work, I understood why those outside the world of academia found the reading something short of scintillating. Indeed, even as I wrote the text, I kept a folder of notes on how the book in general, and how certain narratives in particular, could have been written much differently for a wider audience outside the academy. At the time, these notes (some of which were literally written on napkins) were nothing more than concepts for reflection some years down the road. That was, until Milo Books owner (and true crime author) Peter Walsh comically found PBM (this is its own story, especially when you consider Milo is based in the UK). A read of the book led Walsh to conclude I had much more data than I used in the study (which was true in ways he couldn't have imagined), and that many aspects of the story lent themselves to a more mainstream book.

Mr. Walsh contacted me about the prospects of doing a wholly different book on Philadelphia's Black Mafia, and sent me a list of several ideas he had when he read PBM. It was if he had seen my notes (and napkins)! We soon agreed on the basic framework for the new book, and were greeted by an unbelievable set of circumstances. Just as Walsh and I were completing the outline for the as-yet-untitled manuscript, a massive federal corruption probe of Philadelphia's municipal government became hot news, and one of the main characters played a significant role in the Black Mafia history. Thus, Black Brothers, Inc. would not only tap into the known history (though told in a much different manner), it would take readers up to the present and provide them with the best - indeed, the only - explanation of the city's corruption probe.

The writing of BBI was very difficult in that the book was two-in-one, really. Milo and I seriously considered splitting the project into two books - one largely focused on the Black Mafia and its brutal violence; and another focused more on the current corruption scandal. Certainly, this would have made for much easier reading. I decided to keep the complex story, with its characters numbering in the dozens and its history spanning forty years, in one book because I feared parsing the story would not allow readers to grasp the few degrees-of-separation between members of the so-called under- and upper-worlds. My argument for some time now has been that the media and my academic colleagues make too much of the distinction between "organized crime" and "white-collar crime". Very few significant criminal enterprises exist for any period of time without the artful assistance of lawyers, accountants, financiers, and the like, not to mention the corruption of public officials. By keeping the entire cast of characters in one book, however dense it became, at least readers would grasp the totality of the story.

One last decision that affected the book concerned documentation. As my students most certainly know, I take footnoting and citations quite seriously, especially in an area such as organized crime which is prone to much sensationalism and mythology. Furthermore, the Black Mafia story includes its share of controversial characters and history, requiring more documentation than usual to instill confidence in the accuracy of the read. By adding a considerable amount of documentation we risked detracting from the feel of a readable, mainstream true crime book, which of course was the goal in the first place. Notwithstanding the decisions to produce one book instead of two, and to include a significant number of footnotes (104 pages of the 464-page book), we were fairly satisfied with the book when it hit shelves in July 2005.

Black Brothers, Inc. 2007

2008-04-11T20:16:00.000-04:00

Black Brothers, Inc.: The Violent Rise and Fall of Philadelphia's Black Mafia (Milo) was first published in July 2005. Because the book was published as events in Philadelphia were unfolding, especially a massive federal corruption probe, an updated and revised edition was necessary. A new version of Black Brothers, Inc. was published in October of 2007, which also contains narratives on: relevant activities since the first edition was penned in 2004 (including the convictions of 57 people since they were discussed in the seminal edition, led by Shamsud-din Ali), reactions to the book, and how and why various forums (news media, Hollywood, etc.) have covered the Black Mafia story. Here is the new cover:

Penn State Abington: faculty profile

2008-04-11T20:02:00.000-04:00

In case you have stumbled upon this blog without entering through the Penn State Abington page, there are some soundbites (in MP3 files) regarding my research, including issues re: my work on African-American organized crime and my next large project, here.

Welcome!

2008-04-11T19:54:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Actors and Activities! Let me first say I don't pretend to be an expert with this sort of thing, as my students will attest! Hopefully I'll be able to post enough for this to be a helpful resource.

This site is intended to be an informal amalgam of thoughts and other things regarding my teaching and research. I am aware, however, that various media members will happen upon the site and may wish to contact me. Please contact David Jwanier in the Penn State Abington Public Information office at (215) 881-7446. Thanks for your interest and consideration.