Missing Staten Island Man, Who Collected Super Bowl Bets, Found In Florida

Jen Chung

Published Feb 8, 2015

Modified Feb 8, 2015

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Photo released by NYPD

Jen Chung

Published Feb 8, 2015

Modified Feb 8, 2015

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Last week, a 63-year-old Staten Island resident, described as a "crazy, charismatic Greek guy who was known to always carry $10,000 on him," was reported missing. Luckily, for his daughters who were searching the woods for him, he was found in Florida in good health yesterday.

John Kambakakis was last seen at the Hirsch Diner in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, on the morning of January 28th, apparently after picking up the last of the Super Bowl bets for a pool he ran. A source told the Post last week, "The guy has a gambling problem and could possibly have hit the road with the Super Bowl money."

The police didn't think that his disappearance was foul play, but that didn't reassure his daughters, who could "never imagine" him running off. One, Maria, told the Post that "[he] ran multiple traditional “box’’ pools every year, offering spaces from $10 to $50, and some entrants wouldn’t pay him... 'Usually, he would have to buy the remaining ones that didn’t get filled, and people would not pay or they would pay last-minute,' Maria said. 'I saw it was kind of stressing him out a little bit.'"

Kambakakis had reportedly collected $25,000 in bets.

Tagged

bets

gambling

missing

staten island