‘Johnny Pizza’ Porcello charged with illegal betting, loan sharking

He wanted the dough.

Reputed Genovese crime family associate John “Johnny Pizza” Porcello was indicted in Brooklyn federal court this week for running an illegal sports betting ring and overseeing a loan sharking racket, according to court documents unsealed Thursday.

Porcello, 59, raked in the cheese with co-defendant Ronald Seebeck, 56, in the loansharking scheme from September 2016 through August 2021, federal prosecutors charged.

The pair also ran a sports gambling ring of at least five people from 2020 through 2021 that produced more than $2,000 in profits on a given day, the indictment states.

Porcello, of Yonkers, and Seebeck, of Tuckahoe, both pleaded not guilty at their arraignments in Brooklyn federal court and were released on bond, a spokesperson for the US Attorney’s Office said.

If convicted, they face a maximum of 20 years in prison on the loan sharking charge and five years for the gambling ring.

Shovel in front of burning wood and flames in fireplace of ready to use traditional italian brick pizza oven
John Porcello was known for his reputed ties to the Genovese family mob.
Getty Images/iStockphoto

Porcello, who previously owned a pizzeria in the Bronx, was busted by the feds in 2011 as part of what was billed at the time as the largest mob bust in US history.

The pizzaman was rounded up with 13 fellow wiseguys connected to the Genovese family that year, including several mobsters in the family’s leadership.

Porcello copped to one loan sharking conspiracy count and was sentenced to 13 months in prison, according to court records.

A red hot pizza oven.
John “Johnny Pizza” Porcello used to own a pizzeria in the Bronx.
Getty Images/iStockphoto

Attorneys for Porcello and Seebeck did not immediately return request for comment.

This article was originally posted here