The Nevada Gaming Commission will vote on removing two deceased mob figures from its notorious Black Book, the state’s list of excluded persons barred from casinos. William Cammisano Jr. and Peter Ribaste, both with deep ties to Kansas City organised crime, died in 2021 and 2023 respectively, clearing the way for their removal under the Commission’s standard practice.

Following Standard Protocol

The Commission routinely removes names from the Black Book following a person’s death. This isn’t a controversial move, it’s just administrative housekeeping. That said, the timing matters. Cammisano spent 26 years on the list after being added in January 1997, while Ribaste was listed for roughly the same period following his inclusion in the late 1990s.

The Cammisano History

Cammisano Jr. wasn’t some minor player. Son of Kansas City enforcer William “Willie the Rat” Cammisano Sr., he was fingered in a 1989 Associated Press report for killing two organised crime figures to maintain his standing within the Kansas City syndicate. One victim died in a bombing, the other in a shooting. He also allegedly met with Chicago Outfit members to discuss the Kansas City family’s cut from the sale of four Argent casinos, and made money from skimming operations at Las Vegas properties.

That’s why gaming regulators flagged him and added him to Nevada’s exclusion list.

Ribaste’s Mob Connections

Ribaste worked directly under Kansas City mob boss Carl Civella and moved to Las Vegas’ upscale Spanish Trails development in 1989. He legitimised himself on paper by acquiring a stake in the Carriage Car III automobile dealership on South Decatur, but the financing told the real story: a $100,000 loan from Horseshoe Club co-owner Ted Binion. That transaction later factored into regulators revoking Binion’s gaming license.

Just before being added to the Black Book, Ribaste was spotted in a car with a made member of the Kansas City crime family.

No Set Schedule

The Commission doesn’t operate on a fixed timetable for Black Book reviews. It happens occasionally. The last significant update came in April, when regulators made the rare decision to ban an illegal bookmaker. Adding or removing names depends on what surfaces and what circumstances warrant action.

Once these two are formally removed, the Black Book will be updated accordingly. It’s purely procedural. That said, Nevada’s gaming regulators don’t ease up on organised crime. They’ve maintained this list for decades specifically to keep those ties out of the state’s casinos.