Nevada Removes Two Deceased Mob-Linked Men from Black Book

The Nevada Gaming Commission is preparing to remove William Cammisano Jr. and Peter Ribaste from its list of blacklisted persons. Both men died from COVID-19 complications, Cammisano in 2021 and Ribaste in 2023, and had been blackballed from Nevada casinos for nearly three decades. Clearing names after death is standard commission protocol. Cammisano was added to the Black Book in January 1997, while Ribaste faced similar restrictions during the late 1990s. Their pending removal reflects Nevada's established practice of keeping the exclusion list limited to living individuals deemed threats to gaming integrity.

William Cammisano Jr.: from Mob Heir to Federal Convict

Cammisano Jr. was the son of William "Willie the Rat" Cammisano Sr., a Kansas City mob enforcer who led the crime family during the 1980s. A 1989 Associated Press report detailed his alleged involvement in organized crime. That report accused him of killing two organized crime figures to maintain his position within the syndicate. Cammisano Jr. was convicted of obstruction of justice in 1989 for threatening a witness in a federal murder investigation.

FBI testimony during his trial identified him as a made member of the Kansas City mob.

In 2010, he served another prison term for his role in an illegal online sports betting operation that generated $3.6 million in wagers over three years. Federal prosecutors also documented his meetings with Chicago organized crime members regarding Kansas City's share of proceeds from the sale of four Argent casinos and illegal skimming profits.

Peter Ribaste: Mob Ties and a Loan That Cost Ted Binion His License

Peter Ribaste worked directly under Kansas City crime boss Carl Civella and underboss Carl DeLuna for decades. In 1989, He relocated to Las Vegas's Spanish Trails community and entered the car dealership business. Ribaste acquired an ownership stake in the Carriage Car III dealership on South Decatur with financial assistance from Horseshoe Club co-owner Ted Binion. That $100,000 loan later drew regulatory scrutiny and contributed to Binion losing his gaming license.

Even after settling in Las Vegas, Ribaste maintained his ties to organized crime. Court filings indicate he was observed sharing a vehicle with a made member of the Kansas City mob less than a year before his inclusion in the Black Book. Those persistent ties led Nevada regulators to conclude that Ribaste posed a genuine threat to the gaming industry's integrity.

Kansas City Mob's Casino Skimming and the Black Book Legacy

The Kansas City crime family had a documented history of infiltrating Las Vegas casinos during the 1970s and 1980s. Federal prosecutors tied the syndicate to major skimming operations at Argent Corporation properties, including the Stardust and Fremont. Nevada's Black Book was designed specifically to exclude individuals believed to threaten gaming integrity. Regulators viewed both men as members of a crime organization with proven involvement in Las Vegas casino corruption. With both now deceased, the commission can complete the removal process in accordance with standard protocol.