SHINING LIGHT ON THE HORSE INDUSTRY
Fourteen gaming inspector reports released to the Times-Union have identified misconduct and improprieties among New York State Gaming Commission staffers as well as at two funds that offer financial awards for horses bred in New York.
According to one report, Yonkers Raceway judge Nicholas Ferriero officiated harness races that his family members participated in, and in “extremely suspect” behavior, sent thousands of text messages to a few horse racing participants while he was officiating.
Multiple Gaming Commission employees were reported to have participated in fantasy sports pools and other prohibited gambling, including while at work.
Jeffrey Tallarino, formerly a judge at Vernon Downs, reportedly engaged in inappropriate behavior including giving a “phallic-shaped cake” to another employee, and a Gaming Commission employee took “retaliatory” steps against a female staffer who came forward about Tallarino. The Gaming Commission was also reported to have delayed administrative action when allegations against Tallarino were made.
Former state steward for the New York Racing Association, Steve Lewandowski was reported to have improperly withheld purse money from owners on more than one occasion.
Brad Maione, spokesman for the NYSGC, said that to the commission’s knowledge, none of the matters in the released reports were referred to federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies.
Two state racing funds, the Agriculture and New York State Breeding Development Fund and the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund, were identified in those reports to have members in leadership positions who either participated in the programs or benefited from the funds.
Read more at the Times-Union.
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