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**Good reason to leave offshore books alone**

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  • **Good reason to leave offshore books alone**

    **The alternative to offshore wagering.........would big brother rather have it's sons wagering with a place like Canbet, or a guy like "billy bones" ??

    *******************************************


    Daily News Staff Writer

    For six weeks, mob mascot Angelo Lutz endeared himself to the public, talking about his so-called Mafia decoder ring.

    The short rotund mob associate defended his six co-defendants at the ongoing mob racketeering trial with witty quotes and created an aura around himself of a guy who shouldn't be a defendant.

    On lunch, evening or even weekend news shows, the 37- year-old South Philadelphian had a ready quip from the trial for a few reporters hungry to fill air time.

    The 400-pound mob spinmeister even hosted a couple of newshounds in his home to taste his mother's soup and pasta.

    But yesterday, Lutz lost his cannolis, as it were.

    Not only was his extensive role in the Mafia sport-gambling empire made known on secretly recorded FBI tapes before U.S. District Judge Herbert J. Hutton, but his nickname was broadcast on the tapes as well: "Liar, Liar."

    Longtime friend, business partner and underboss George Borgesi dubbed Lutz, "Liar, Liar" some time ago.

    Government witness Ronald Previte said Lutz had acquired the nom de plume "because he never told the truth. That's why we called him 'Liar, Liar.' "

    Previte, a cop-turned-mob-capo- turned-informant, secretly taped Lutz and many other mobsters for the FBI from 1997 through 1999.

    Yesterday was Lutz's turn to star on the tapes Previte made of the August 1998 startup up of a mob gambling operation headed by Borgesi and reputed mob boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino.

    By 1998, Previte was forced to turn over his own sports book to the FBI after his arrest for extorting a bar owner in Hammonton, N.J.

    He continued to run the sports book for the FBI in an attempt to gather evidence against mobsters, though he had to turn over its profits to the FBI.

    Merlino and Borgesi, both heavy bettors, asked Previte to manage "his" sports book and take over their gambling operation and work out the details with Lutz, according to 1998 FBI tapes.

    Despite the disparaging "handle," Borgesi had entrusted the sports-gambling business to Lutz, also a heavy gambler, who could type fast and keep track of bettors and bookies - the meat and potatoes of an illicit mob business.

    In an Aug. 12, 1998, taped conversation, Borgesi told Previte: "Gotta get Angelo and we'll go over everything 'cause I don't even know how many guys he's got."

    Lutz was "going to take over all the bettors, and he was going to collect the money," said Previte.

    "Angelo was to get paid out of the book, about $250-$350" a week, Previte testified Borgesi told him.

    When Previte's and the mob's sports books were merged, the FBI infiltrated the operation to such a degree that undercover agents were on FBI-supplied cell phones taking bets.

    Previte also had to settle the week's bets with the FBI before he could settle accounts with Lutz on Fridays.

    "If [Lutz] had to drive to Hammonton," where Previte lived, "he'd drive to Hammonton to pick up the bookmaking money," Previte added.

    But there was no need, Previte said. "I always settled up in Angelo Lutz's house."

    "I was going to operate it. But, Georgie and Angelo, it was their book."

    In a Sept. 10, 1998, tape-recording, Previte and Lutz are heard establishing the limits of bettors and bookies wagering on pro and college football games.

    Their list of bookies and bettors included T, LL, Moe, Kane, Rocco, J.D., BB, Nicky, Nunzio, Petey, Hoover, Carmen, Southwest, Robert, Louie and Larry, Brad, Doug, FG, Billy Bones and Beef.

    The one name that rankled Previte was "Beef," a pseudonym for Merlino who placed heavy bets, then refused to pay them off.

    "Beef was Joey. It was a scam. He had no intentions of paying the bets of Beef," Previte testified.

    In 1997, Previte testified, "Joey stiffed me for $212,000. I went to Ralph [Natale] about it," but the then-mob boss did nothing. Previte feared it would happen again.

    Borgesi, on the other hand, admitted he was a lousy bookmaker and a "degenerate" gambler.

    "They put bets in through Ralph Abbruzzi. They didn't pay nobody, so I didn't take it personally," testified Previte.

    In a tape, Borgesi warned Previte about Merlino when he got drunk. "He's the devil, like he has horns growing out of his head."

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