License to Steal

When, in the 1970’s the game of jai alai came to Connecticut, he saw an opportunity to combine his know-how with his love for gambling and was quickly hired by the management of the Hartford Fronton to run the food concessions. Harvey, being the kind of man who likes to know all the angles, became fascinated with the game and its gambling systems, and he also became intrigued by the syndicate that ran the operation. But by the time Harvey had completed his thorough education in the working of professional jai alai, he was a man who knew too much. For not only did he discover that the games themselves were fixed, but that organized crime used the businesses to launder vast amounts of drug money, using time-honored methods created by the infamous gangster, Meyer Lansky.

In his intriguing and richly detailed memoir, Mr. Ziskis relates how, by assisting Connecticut and Florida State authorities to put an end to the rampant illegal activities being conducted through the frontons, he became a marked man. His continued work as an undercover investigator and consultant for government regulatory agencies created numerous enemies in the underworld of organized crime as well as with renegade law enforcement officers, who were involved in the illegal activity. Somehow, despite being a marked man, by these enemies, Harvey Ziskis became the largest Greyhound Dog owner, operator and breeder in the Country. Years later, his enemies would gain a measure of satisfaction, as their attempts to set him up to look guilty of criminal activities himself resulted in an indictment and conviction.

For anyone fascinated by the world of gambling, License To Steal offers an unparalleled insider’s view and reveals the ruthlessness, danger and corruption lurking behind the glittering facades of the establishments that siphon millions from the pockets of the unsuspecting public. Along with introducing us to the machinery of this complex criminal network (that shockingly includes the names of currently prominent politicians and renegade former FBI agents), Mr. Ziskis also provides the reader with insights into successful gambling strategies, and an overview of the gambling industry – all packed into a compelling, intensely personal story.