Dozens of 311 complaints lodged against home of NBA poker scandal

The luxurious Greenwich Village townhouse at 80 Washington Place was at the center of a scandal involving Mafia goons and NBA stars running rigged poker games. City records revealed that the neighbors were not pleased with the activities happening in the six-story building, as they lodged more than three dozen complaints to 311 about the noise and disturbances.

The illegal casino, referred to as the “Washington Place” in the indictment, was reportedly used by mobsters to swindle their gambling victims out of millions of dollars. The scheme began around January 2021, coinciding with the influx of complaints from the neighbors about the loud parties and gatherings happening in and around the townhouse.

Complaints ranged from mass gatherings on the sidewalk to loud talking on the street in the early hours of the morning. The noise disturbances continued for almost 20 months, with most complaints being for excessive noise and partying inside the house and on the street outside. Some complaints even mentioned parties lasting until 7 in the morning.

During May of 2021, the parties seemed to be constant, with 11 noise complaints logged in that month alone. Neighbors also reported drug use, trash littering the sidewalk, and homeless encampments set up outside the home. The situation finally quieted down in January 2023, coinciding with the dismantling of the illegal gambling ring by federal investigators.

It is unclear whether the alleged criminals were ever reprimanded for their behavior. The NYPD responded to the complaints and took action to address the noise disturbances, but it is unknown if any tickets or summonses were issued. Other agencies, such as the Department of Homeless Services and the Department of Sanitation, did not find evidence of the complaints except for one report of a dead mouse on the sidewalk.

The townhouse was one of several Manhattan locations where mobsters allegedly ran their rigged poker games. The scheme involved sophisticated cheating technology like rigged X-ray card tables, crooked card shufflers, and special glasses and contact lenses to spy on marked cards. Famous NBA players were also implicated in the scandal, with Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones being named in the federal indictment.

Another NBA-related indictment involved an illegal sports gambling ring that placed bets on games using insider information about various teams and players. The owner of the townhouse during the period cited in the indictment did not respond to requests for comment.

In conclusion, the Greenwich Village townhouse at 80 Washington Place was a hub of illegal activities involving Mafia goons, NBA stars, and rigged poker games, causing disturbances and complaints from the neighbors. The scandal rocked the neighborhood for almost two years before authorities finally intervened and shut down the operation.