Anthony Ciulla was the son of a
fishmonger. Ciulla was able to influence jockeys through a combination of cash bribes, some as high as $10,000, and physical intimidation. The Winter Hill Gang became involved with Ciulla despite warnings from
Jerry Angiulo that he could not be trusted. He soon expanded his operations throughout the
Eastern and
Midwestern United States, although he was primarily active in the New York area. Ciulla often bribed jockeys who rode the betting favorite, and instructed them not to win the race. Ciulla then bet money on the long shots, with a chance of bigger payouts.
Arrest, conviction and witness protection In 1975, Ciulla's activities came to light when a jockey he bribed, Peter Fantini, made an obvious display of restraining his horse during a race and became the subject of an investigation. Under police questioning, Fantini revealed Ciulla's activities. Hole would later die under mysterious circumstances in 1976, which was later ruled a suicide. Ciulla was convicted of fixing
thoroughbred races in
Massachusetts and
Rhode Island, In November 1978, Ciulla became a major witness in the federal government's investigation into horse racing. He then entered
United States Federal Witness Protection Program under the new name Tony Capra. His testimony proved key to the conviction of several jockeys and trainers, ending their careers. Ciulla implicated mob boss
Whitey Bulger and his partner
Stephen Flemmi in the horse fixing ring, but the two had recently become informants for the
Federal Bureau of Investigation and were not prosecuted.
Later life and death Ciulla lived in
Malibu, California for a time under the identity of Tony Capra. Ciulla reportedly died of a heart attack on June 6, 2003, in
Revere,
Massachusetts. == References ==