HAMMOND, Ind. (WLS) — Suspects appeared in court Thursday following “Operation Porterhouse Parlay,” a series of raids last month in Northwest Indiana.
Federal agents have been investigating illegal gambling and extortion rings allegedly involving restaurant owners James Gerodemos, Dean Gialamas and Filippo Rovito, among others.
All 22 defendants pleaded not guilty Thursday.
While it hasn’t happened yet, at least once defense attorney told ABC7 he worries this will be tried as a RICO case, meaning all defendants, no matter how small their accused role in the alleged illegal gambling ring was, would be punished equally.
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Filippo “Gigi” Rovito walked into a federal courthouse in Hammond,…