Huntington Man Admits To Loan-Sharking, Illegal Gambling

A Huntington resident who is a member of the Gambino organized crime family pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges connected to loansharking and illegal gambling, according to the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

John "Johnny Boy" Ambrosio, 74, who serves as acting captain of the Gambino family of La Cosa Nostra, admitted to collecting an extortionate loan from an individual, and supervising a gambling business, officials say.

As part of his plea deal, he will forfeit $100,000, including $66,116 in cash that was seized from his home at the time of his arrest in December 2017.

Ambrosio is the last person out of seven members of the Gambino and Bonanno crime families to plead guilty to an indictment involving loan-sharking, illegal gambling and narcotics trafficking charges.

Ambrosio's co-conspirators include six others, including three Long Island residents:

• Anthony Rodolico, 46, of Huntington, an associate of the Gambino family
• Anthony Saladino, 67, of Glen Cove, an associate of the Gambino family
• Joseph Durso, 26, of Glen Cove, an associate of the Gambino family
• Thomas Anzalone, 44, of Queens, an associate of the Gambino family
• Alessandro "Sandro" Damelio, 49, of Queens, an associate of the Gambino family
• Frank "Frankie Boy" Salerno, 43, of Queens, a soldier in the Bonanno family

Officials say Ambrosio and company were arrested on Dec. 12, 2017 after law enforcement executed search warrants at several locations, including a storage facility in Nassau County. Gambling and loan sharking records, electronic gaming machines, narcotics and narcotics paraphernalia, and numerous firearms, including an AR-15, a .38 caliber revolver and a sawed-off shotgun were recovered.

Letters addressed to Ambrosio from Bonanno family boss Michael “The Nose” Mancuso and former Gambino family boss John Gotti were also recovered, officials say.

According to officials, Ambrosio conducted a lucrative loan-sharking operation in which he, Anzalone, Rodolico, Saladino and others extended loans to, and collected loans from numerous individuals, often charging high interest rates and employing violent and threatening collection methods.

Ambrosio also was involved with a variety of gambling operations, including illegal poker games, electronic gaming machines and internet sports betting, officials say. Damelio, Durso, Salerno and Saladino were allegedly responsible for many of the daily operations.

Ambrosio, Anzalone, Damelio, Durso and Rodolico each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Saladino and Salerno each face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and up to 40 years for cocaine distribution conspiracy offenses.

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