2 men charged with setting up illegal gambling network
NORTH HUNTINGDON (AP) – Authorities say they’ve charged two men with illegally setting up a network of video poker machines in bars and clubs in Western Pennsylvania.
State Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced Friday that 54-year-old James Tartal and 50-year-old Edward Deluca have been charged with operating a corrupt organization and illegal gambling devices.
Officials say they seized more than $660,000 from the operation that set up 126 illegal poker machines in 25 bars and clubs in Westmoreland and Fayette counties.
Shapiro says there were illegal cash payouts at the bars and that the machines were equipped with illegal devices that would “knock off” credits after a player was finished.
It wasn’t immediately clear if Tartal and Deluca had hired attorneys.