Richard Uva agreed to a plea-bargain for his part in a gambling ring linked to the Gambino crime family. Federal prosecutors said that Uva was the “chief operation officer” for the multi-million dollar mafia controlled gambling operation. It included an offshore internet gambling site, street bookies, and high stakes card games run in Stamford and Hamden. A percentage of all the profits made from the illegal gambling enterprise was kicked up to the Gambino crime family according to prosecutors. Uva pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the RICO act and now faces up to 51 months in prison and forfeit over $87 thousand dollars from money seized from him by authorities when he was arrested in 2011 along with an added $162 thousand dollars within three years of his sentencing.
Gambling Ring Boss “Dean DePreta”
Uva was one of 20 people that were arrested following an investigation by the FBI, IRS, and Stamford police into the million dollar illegal gambling operation. Uva was accused of collecting profits from the gambling ring and delivering a portion of those profits to the leaders of the Gambino family of the New York mafia. Prosecutors claim Uva was the second in command to longtime friend Dean DePreta who is considered by the feds to have been the titular head of the Gambino family in Connecticut. DePreta has also pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the RICO act and is awaiting sentencing set for October 9. He faces a long prison term and has agreed to forfeit up to $212 thousand dollars. To date 19 of the 20 defendants have pleaded guilty and a total of $1.3 million dollars agreed to be forfeited.
