Former shoemaker admits he had an illegal gambling operation in his Brooklyn shop

NEW YORK (AP) — A former shoemaker has pleaded guilty to allegations that he had an illegal gambling operation for the Mafia at his shop in Brooklyn. Salvatore Rubino is also known as “Sal the Shoemaker.” He admitted in court Tuesday to running card games and operating illegal gambling machines inside his former shoe repair business and kicking profits to the Genovese crime family. Prosecutors say four co-defendants pleaded guilty earlier this month to charges including racketeering, attempted extortion and illegal gambling stemming from long-running Mafia gambling operations in New York. The five were indicted in August 2022 as part of a larger federal investigation into Mafia operations in New York.