What to know about gambling ring in Northwest Indiana
Federal prosecutors indicted 22 people in an illegal gambling and extortion ring led by James 'Jimmy the Greek' Gerodemos.Summary
On April 29, 2026, federal prosecutors unsealed an 87-page indictment charging 22 individuals with running a wide-ranging gambling and extortion ring based out of Gino's Steakhouse in Merrillville and Paragon in Hobart. The operation, known as the Gerodemos Gambling Organization, allegedly used websites and text messaging to facilitate sports betting across multiple states without requiring bettors to put up their own money. The indictment details threats of violence against victims and their families who failed to repay gambling debts, including one incident where an ex-Gino's cook left a threatening note at a college student's home. Key figures named in the indictment include leaders James 'Jimmy the Greek' Gerodemos and Dean 'Dean Gem' Gialamas, along with other family members and associates. The investigation uncovered a history of legal troubles for the Gerodemos family, including previous raids for illegal workers and a federal prison sentence for James Gerodemos in 2014 for possessing illegal fireworks. A federal magistrate judge denied bond for James Gerodemos, citing his alleged past payments to a former sheriff to overlook illegal video poker machines.
(Source：Chicago Tribune)