Document released in Infante case details gambling operation, free water, 'homage' payments

WARREN

Dan Kasaris, the prosecutor in the Ralph Infante criminal case, filed a document today giving more specific information about the crimes the former Niles mayor is accused of committing.

Among the specifics are that Infante, 61, allowed a company leasing the minor-league baseball stadium at Eastwood Mall to receive free water for 14 years to water the fields, preventing the city from collecting $60,000 it was owed.

This was done without city council approval.

The document – called a bill of particulars – also gives more specific details on gambling allegations leveled at Infante. The gambling charges relate to an illegal operation authorities said Infante and his wife, Judy, 67, ran out of their club, ITAM 39 on North State Street in McKinley Heights, Niles City Hall and at his home, the filing says.

The filing gave a breakdown of the amounts of money Infante deposited in a Citizens Bank account from 1992 to 2015 that totaled $59,620.

The money was deposited into a joint bank account for Infante and his wife, who is also charged with 10 offenses. When Ralph Infante was asked about the deposits, he “referred law enforcement to his wife,” the filing says.

“In Infante’s own handwriting, Infante kept track of the income coming in,” it said.

Infante could not be reached to comment Thursday.

He is charged with a 54-count indictment that accuses him of bribery, theft in office, money laundering, racketeering, gambling and 17 counts of records tampering.

A separate filing Thursday by Kasaris says he has provided Infante’s attorney with a witness list containing the names of more than 60 people who may be called as witnesses in this matter.

Regarding money that employees said they paid to Infante, one woman said she and her husband paid the former mayor $500 in cash every December in a Christmas card to Infante at the ITAM Club. She called the money her “homage payments” because Infante was mayor.

But that amount doubled in 2009, and the location of the money moved to city hall, she said.

Read more about the case in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.