The brother of Chicago Bears great Brian Urlacher appeared Wednesday with several others at Chicago’s federal courthouse for arraignment in a case alleging he helped run an illegal multimillion-dollar sports gambling ring that involved as many as 1,000 people.
Casey Urlacher, the mayor of north suburban Mettawa, was charged late last month with Vincent “Uncle Mick” DelGiudice and eight others in a 28-page federal indictment that detailed the scheme that revolved around a website called unclemicksports.com.
DelGiudice allegedly paid more than $10,000 a month to a company not named in the indictment for the use of that website. Gamblers used it to view odds, place bets on sporting events and monitor winnings and losses. DelGiudice also allegedly found “agents” to help him recruit gamblers.
Also charged for their roles in the scheme are Eugene “Gino” DelGiudice of Orland Park; Matthew “Sweaters” Knight of Mokena; Justine Hines of Algonquin; Keith D. Benson of Lemont; Todd Blanken of Cary; Nicholas Stella of Chicago; Matthew Namoff of Midlothian and Vasilios Prassas of Chicago.
Eugene DelGiudice is Vincent DelGiudice’s father. Stella worked as a Chicago police officer for 18 years but was relieved of his police powers on May 13, 2019.
The indictment alleges Urlacher asked Vincent DelGiudice to create a log-in and password for a new gambler on the website on Dec. 16, 2018. DelGiudice allegedly did so, setting a $500 maximum bet, a $3,000 maximum wager for the week and a $1,000 settle-up figure.
On Dec. 21, 2018, Urlacher allegedly gave an envelope filled with gambling debts owed to DelGiudice to Prassas. That same day, Prassas allegedly passed an envelope filled with Urlacher’s gambling debts on to DelGiudice with the remark, “This is Casey’s.”
Urlacher also allegedly asked DelGiudice by phone on Dec. 26, 2018, to shut down a gambler’s account until the gambler paid a debt. That same day, after the gambler wired $3,000 to Urlacher, Urlacher allegedly texted DelGiudice and told him to turn the gambler’s account back on.
The feds also say Urlacher paid a gambling debt to DelGiudice on Feb. 1, 2019.
During a search of DelGiudice’s Orland Park home in April 2019, agents allegedly found more than $1.06 million in cash, $347,895 in silver bars and jewelry, and $92,623 in gold coins. Prosecutors are seeking an $8 million judgment against DelGiudice.
DelGiudice is charged with one count of conspiracy to conduct an illegal gambling business, one count of conducting an illegal gambling business, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and six counts of money laundering.
His alleged agents, including Urlacher, are charged with one count of participating in the conspiracy and one count of running an illegal gambling business.
