Mob Leader Bobby Ianelli, Notable in Pittsburgh's Gambling Circles, Passes Away at 95
Robert E. "Bobby I" Iannelli, a legendary figure in Western Pennsylvania's gambling underworld, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2025, at the age of 95. Known as a Pittsburgh Mafia associate and the leader of the region's illegal sports betting operations, Iannelli leaves behind a lasting criminal legacy that spanned over five decades.
Born as a small-time bookie in the 1950s, Iannelli expanded his operations into a multimillion-dollar underground gambling empire that encompassed Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. He was described by Penn State criminal justice professor Donald Liddick as the "crown jewel" of the LaRocca-Genovese gambling machine, a Mafia family that historically controlled much of Pittsburgh's organized crime.
Despite multiple federal legal battles related to illegal gambling, serving jail time in the 1970s and 1990s, Iannelli remained active even into his late 80s. In 2019, he was indicted, alongside his son, for a large sports betting and numbers lottery scheme. He pleaded guilty in 2020 and agreed to pay approximately $300K in fines.
Iannelli's criminal career, however, never involved any allegations of violence. He was a beloved husband, father to four children, and great-grandfather, surrounded by loved ones in his final moments.
Throughout his career, Iannelli's base of operations was "Chub’s Place," a diner in North Park. Even after the decline of the LaRocca-Genovese family, Iannelli continued to run the diner, a testament to his enduring influence in the region's gambling underworld.
In 1990, a Pennsylvania Crime Commission report listed Iannelli as an associate of the Pittsburgh LaRocca-Genovese family, also known as the Pittsburgh Mafia. The once-mighty LaRocca-Genovese family, which in its 1950s to 1980s heyday stretched from the Hill District to suburban diners, has, according to Liddick, "dissolved into informal groups" with no centralized leadership.
Mob writer Scott Burnstein called Iannelli "old-school" and one of the gambling trade's all-time greats in a note marking his death. Iannelli resided in both Jupiter, Florida, and McCandless Township. His obituary was published by Devlin Funeral Home.
Iannelli's influence on Western Pennsylvania's gambling underworld was significant, surviving decades of law enforcement crackdowns and Mafia family declines. His legacy will undoubtedly continue to be a topic of interest for criminal historians and enthusiasts alike.
- Bobby Iannelli, the Pittsburgh Mafia associate and leader of the region's illegal sports betting operations, left behind a substantial criminal legacy that lasted over five decades and encompassed Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.
- Although facing multiple federal legal battles and serving jail time in the 1970s and 1990s, Iannelli's criminal career was not associated with any allegations of violence, making him a beloved husband, father to four children, and great-grandfather.
- In 1990, Iannelli was listed as an associate of the Pittsburgh LaRocca-Genovese family, also known as the Pittsburgh Mafia, a Mafia family that historically controlled much of Pittsburgh's organized crime.
- Known as the "crown jewel" of the LaRocca-Genovese gambling machine, Iannelli's base of operations was "Chub’s Place," a diner in North Park, and even after the decline of the LaRocca-Genovese family, he continued to run the diner, a testament to his enduring influence in the region's gambling underworld.
- Mob writer Scott Burnstein deemed Iannelli "old-school" and one of the gambling trade's all-time greats, as reported by his obituary published by Devlin Funeral Home, under the general news, crime-and-justice, and casino-and-gambling categories, as well as sports and sports-betting-related articles.
