Wyoming, Old Forge Make Title Game 
The Warriors Power Past Seton Catholic, And The Blue Devils Beat Northwest In
The Holiday Tournament.

Anna Sadauckas

By RON LIEBACK rlieback@leader.net
 Tuesday, December 28, 2004 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 7A 





SCRANTON - Three men who pleaded guilty to their roles in a $2 million
gambling ring will receive no jail time under sentences handed down Monday,
but they were forced to forfeit $70,000. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Robert Rinaldi Sr., and his sons Robert Jr. and Richard, were each
sentenced to house arrest and probation and fined $2,100 by District Judge
William J. Nealon in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of
Pennsylvania. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ``The three separately forfeited a total of $70,000 in cashier's checks to
the U.S. government in the morning,'' Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gurganus
said after the one-hour hearing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Rinaldis and two other men, Gaeton Toraldo and Robert Bingham, were
charged in February with illegal bookmaking operations after a 17-month
investigation by state police and the FBI. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Officials said the Rinaldis, all of Main Street in Old Forge, ran a sports
betting ring out of a South Main Street building known as ``The Joint.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Gurganus said the ``Rinaldis' take'' in the $2 million was 10 percent, or
about $200,000 annually. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Officials also said the men took bets at Cafe Rinaldi, an Italian
restaurant and pizzeria owned by Rinaldi Sr. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``One of these days, the roof is going to cave in,'' Nealon told
63-year-old Rinaldi Sr. during the 2 p.m. hearing. ``And it is bad you got
your sons involved.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After the reprimand, Nealon sentenced Rinaldi Sr. to three years of
probation and 10 months of house arrest. The judge deferred the house arrest
three weeks so Rinaldi Sr. can renovate apartments above his business. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Robert Jr., 35, and Richard, 29, were sentenced to two years probation and
six months house arrest. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I definitely learned my lesson,'' Robert Jr., co-owner of Cafe Rinaldi,
said. ``I would like to apologize to the court and my family for the
disgrace.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Gurganus said the maximum federal penalty for illegal gambling is five
years in prison and $25,000 in fines. He also said Rinaldi Sr. was charged
with gambling on a federal level in the past. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The other two men involved, Toraldo and Bingham, also received probation in
a separate sentencing earlier this year. Toraldo, of Scranton, worked as a bet
taker for the Rinaldis, and Bingham was an enforcer who sought payment of
debts, police said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I am a responsible member of society who clearly made a bad choice,''
Richard Rinaldi told the judge. ``I am a person trying to better myself.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The judge responded by saying, ``You managed to put the brakes on early.
Just stay away from gambling.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Three Rinaldis Avoid Jail For Bookmaking Men Who Lead $2 Million Gambling Operation Sentenced To Probation, House Arrest And Forfeit $70,000.