Published on: June 29, 2026, 03:10h.
Updated on: June 29, 2026, 03:10h.
- Authorities claim Manzi exploited 106 fraudulent Bally’s rewards cards to amass over $1.15 million in slot machine winnings within a span of 116 days.
- Legal filings do not accuse any manipulation of the slot machines, leaving it unclear how the claimed loyalty card fraud led to such remarkable gambling returns.
- Manzi has a history of imprisonment related to a racketeering case in Springfield and was indicted earlier this year in a gambling investigation linked to the Chicago Outfit.
A gangster from Western Massachusetts reportedly won $1.2 million at high-stakes slots in Bally’s Casino Lincoln, R.I., in a way that has casino executives bewildered and labeling it “statistically impossible,” according to court documents.
Giuseppe “Little Joe” Manzi, 51, a reputed affiliate of the Genovese-aligned Springfield Crew, was apprehended along with five others on Thursday. All face charges of cheating casinos and illegally acquiring property, per court documents reviewed by MassLive.
Manzi is accused of leveraging 106 phony Bally’s rewards cards to circulate about $630,000 through slot machines over 116 days, resulting in more than $1.15 million in reported winnings. His alleged associates are believed to have won even larger amounts, according to MassLive.
His co-defendants include Antonio Capua, 47, Claudio Cardaropoli, 47, Alfonso B. Lalli, Salvatore Fusco, 23, and Franco “Frankie” Fusco, all residents of the Springfield area.
The court filings do not indicate that the defendants tampered with slot machines using electronic cheating devices or software.
‘Statistically Impossible’
While large slot wins are not entirely uncommon, investigators noted that casino officials harbor doubts regarding the consistency of the gambling outcomes from the defendants, though they did not elaborate on the statistical findings that led to this conclusion.
“After analyzing Manzi’s slot play totals,” an official remarked, “it appears statistically impossible for him to nearly double his money consistently without some form of cheating at the casino.”
Manzi has been linked to the Springfield organized crime landscape for years. In 2003, he received a federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to racketeering charges stemming from an extensive investigation into the Springfield faction of the Genovese crime family.
He was released in 2006 after serving roughly three years, as per federal prison records. His father, Carmine “The Barber” Manzi, was also indicted in the same case alongside alleged members of the Springfield Crew.
Earlier this year, in April, Manzi was charged once again as one of 22 individuals alleged to be part of a Chicago Outfit-linked gambling ring operating from restaurants in Northwest Indiana and suburban Chicago.
Chicago Operation
Prosecutors assert that the operation utilized betting websites, text messaging, and electronic payment applications, along with traditional methods such as distributing NFL betting cards in restaurant menus.
The group allegedly engaged in intimidation and harassment tactics, with threats of violence towards debtors. It remains unclear from court documents what specific role Manzi is alleged to have played in the operation.
Experts in organized crime noted that Manzi’s involvement was atypical since it was a Chicago Outfit-linked gambling enterprise, not one typically associated with organized crime in New England.
Manzi was released on a $50,000 cash bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.