Beersheba Mob Boss Indicted for Gambling Racket

A mob boss in the Southern Israeli city of Beersheba has been indicted over a series of organized crime offenses, including running a gambling racket.

The man had been in charge of a number of illegal casinos staffed by strong men who terrified gamblers running late on their payments to the racket. With standard casino gambling banned by Israeli gambling laws, the man is sure to find himself in hot water with the authorities.

The case covers the period between 2011 and 2014, while the big boss, Moshe Reuben, spent the first 3 years of that time behind bars on a separate charge. It is alleged that his associates paid their takings to his wife and family, as well as to his prison fund.

Tip of the illegal gambling iceberg

While Israel may be home to a number of online and mobile casino companies, it seems like their land based operations may leave something to be desired. In fact, it seems like Reuben’s group had stepped up efforts to take complete control of a vast gambling operation in Beersheba, threatening other gangs to hand over their card games and gambling houses.

Yet the local authorities made their move in April, when Reuben was arrested along with 78 other suspects in a clamp down on illegal gambling. The operation was deemed a success, with 450 officers taking part in the raids.