dailyloe.com – Federal prosecutors indicted 22 individuals earlier this month in a gambling and extortion ring based in Hobart and Merrillville, Indiana. The indictments include members of the Gerodemos family, owners of Paragon restaurant in Hobart and Gino’s Steakhouse in Merrillville. Both locations were raided by the FBI as part of a multi-state operation.
The 87-page indictment, unsealed on April 29, 2026, details activities from January 2021 to April 2026. Notable figures in the indictment include James “Jimmy the Greek” Gerodemos and Dean “Dean Gem” Gialamas, identified as leaders of the Gerodemos Gambling Organization.
Other individuals indicted include Chris Gerodemos, Basam “Donny Brasco” Ibrahim, and Sanad “Sanad Taka” Ibrahim, among others. All defendants appeared in federal court on the same day the indictment was unsealed. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Benson stated that the federal government possesses substantial evidence against the accused.
The Gerodemos Gambling Organization utilized websites, phone numbers, and text messaging to facilitate sports betting. Bets were placed in the Northern District of Indiana and nationwide, with the organization providing bettors with account numbers and passwords.
Bettors received lines of credit, allowing them to place bets without upfront cash. This method enabled immediate betting, according to the indictment. The operation’s extensive structure and the involvement of numerous defendants highlight the scale of the alleged gambling activities.
