The cop whose ties to a drug dealer triggered a massive ticket-fixing scandal is also a high-stakes gambler who used marijuana to settle a debt. Hit the jump to read the rest of the story.
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A bombshell NYPD internal memo summarizing phone taps paints Officer Jose Ramos as a hard-core bettor who placed wagers on baseball, football, basketball and hockey – sometimes for several thousand dollars a pop.
“Randy, this came in regarding white boy Sweeney [Shannon],” said the memo, referring to Detective Randy Katakofsky, the lead Internal Affairs investigator in the ticket-fixing probe. “Sounds like Jose is giving him weed to cover a debt.”
It wasn’t immediately clear if the debt belonged to Ramos or Sweeney, but sources said Sweeney usually bought marijuana from Ramos. The memo also shows Ramos called gambling website Bodogcasino.com to ask about making bets of several thousand dollars at a time, according to the memo.
And an Oct. 28, 2009, conversation between Ramos and a suspected bookie identified as “Dom” suggests the cop knew his way around an odds sheet. When Ramos called Dom to find out why his account was suspended after a hot streak, he couldn’t get an answer.
“Dom didn’t know and will find out from his guy,” the memo said. “Maybe because they were winning too much. Dom approximated Jose’s account as being up $54,000.”
The memo suggests Dom took a $1,000 bet that Ramos placed for “his New Jersey friend.” Dom also told Ramos the friend could open up an account for $8,000.
Dom denied to the Daily News that he was a bookie but confirmed Ramos had as much as $62,000 in winnings. The memo suggests a gambling debt came between the men, souring what had been a profitable relationship.
“Dom owes the agent Bobby $9,700 and the agent may take that out of Jose’s winnings of $62,000-plus,” the documents said. “And Jose wasn’t happy.”
Ramos’ lawyer said the officer denies all the charges.
“It’s suspect that Internal Affairs, although they’re investigating this, they’re the ones leaking this to the press,” said the lawyer, John Sandleitner.
Ramos is also suspected of ripping off a drug dealer and fixing summonses in exchange for gifts. He is among 17 cops recently indicted by a grand jury in the ticket-fixing probe. Charges have yet to be announced.
