9 charged in connection with illegal gambling rings in Toronto, Vaughan

A York Regional Police patch is shown in Aurora, Ont. on Dec. 19, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Arlyn McAdorey

Police have charged nine people and seized multiple gaming machines in connection with illegal gambling rings in Vaughan and Toronto.

York Regional Police say they launched their investigation, dubbed ‘Project Scala,’ at the start of 2024, in collaboration with South Simcoe Police. Through their joint investigation, police say they were able to identify a group of suspects who allegedly collected money from these illicit gambling establishments.

Police said they executed search warrants at three residences and three gaming houses, located in Vaughan and Toronto, on Jan. 22. They said additional warrants were carried out at a business, storage locker and two vehicles in Toronto.

Investigators said they seized video gaming machines and related accessories, illegal tobacco and alcohol, a crypto wallet, a large quantity of bulk cash, silver bars and coins, two vehicles and an undisclosed quantity of controlled substances.

They charged nine suspects from various cities across southern Ontario, including Cambridge, Innisfil, Toronto, Tottenham and Vaughan.

Police arrested Alessandro Ortolano, 56, Giorgio Campagna, 64, Giuseppe Minaci, 61, Giuseppe Ferraro, 63, Caprice Sluman, 61, Salvatore Blanda, 50, Paul Lessis, 47, Gaspere Malfara, 70, and James Sze, 27, who face a combined total of 22 charges. The charges have not been tested in court.

Investigators are asking anyone with additional information to call the York Regional Police Major Projects Unit or Crime Stoppers anonymously.