Crime
South Carolina High Court Rules Organized Poker Games Illegal
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Associated Press) - South Carolina's high court says that organized poker games are illegal, even when they happen in a private home.
The state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that state law prohibits wagering on Texas Hold 'Em, even though it's a game of skill.
During a raid on a home near Charleston in 2006, police seized several thousand dollars in cash and a small amount of marijuana, ticketing about 25 people for illegal gambling.
Mobster Whitey Bulger Claims He Was Given Government Immunity
BOSTON (Associated Press) — Prosecutors have asked a federal judge to force Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger to produce proof that he was awarded immunity by federal authorities before his June trial spirals into an "unduly elongated and unmanageable" mess.
In documents filed Friday, prosecutors call Bulger's claim of immunity "frivolous" and "absurd."
83-Year Old Ex-Hitman Testifies at Philadelphia Mob Boss Trial
PHILADELPHIA (Associated Press) — An aging mob hit man told jurors Monday that he once plotted to kill a Philadelphia mob boss now on trial and two underlings — even though he liked them.
Alabama Developer Ronnie Gilley Begins Jail Time After Vote Buying Trial
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Associated Press) — Country Crossing casino developer Ronnie Gilley has reported to the federal penitentiary in Atlanta to begin serving a sentence of six years and eight months for offering bribes to legislators to support pro-gambling legislation.
He was originally scheduled to report Aug. 27. He has received delays to allow him to pay for unspecified surgery and recovery rather than having the federal Bureau of Prisons pay for it.
Federal prisons spokeswoman Traci Billingsley said Gilley reported to the Atlanta prison Monday afternoon as scheduled.
Booby-Trapped Denver Home Once Belonged to Mobsters
Renovations on an 1891 Victorian home in Denver turned up something shocking this week. The home, once owned by the Smaldone Crime Family, was apparently booby-trapped.
Matt Feeney bought the old home on Osage Street and knew it needed some TLC. So upon knocking down walls, he made the shocking discovery.
GOP Senate Candidates Received Over $200k in Laundered Gambling Money
Reports have surfaced that gambling money linked to a 2010 GOP takeover of the Alabama Senate allegedly was laundered.
From the Alabama Political Reporter:
Mob Boss Wanted Philadelphia Radio Personality Jerry Blavat Whacked
Testimony continued this week in the trial of reputed Philadelphia mob boss Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi with the revelation that he had allegedly vowed to kill radio celebrity Jerry Blavat after reading a 2009 article appearing in the Philadelphia Magazine.
76-Year-Old Reputed Mobster Robert Gentile to Plead Guilty
HARTFORD, Conn. (Associated Press) — A 76-year-old reputed Connecticut mobster said to have information about the largest art heist in history was expected to plead guilty Wednesday in a weapons and prescription drugs case.
Robert Gentile, of Manchester, has a change-of-plea hearing scheduled in Hartford federal court. He has pleaded not guilty to allegations he illegally possessed firearms and explosives and sold illegally obtained prescription drugs.
EU Must Act Over ‘Protectionist’ Rule Following Detention of Bwin.Party Founder
The Financial Time’s Jonathan Guthrie blasted the European Union for its failure to act appropriately in light of member nations chokehold over online gambling firms.
Bwin.Party Head Norbert Teufelberger Released After Belgian Detention
Norbert Teufelberger, the co-founder of Bwin.Party, was released following two hours of questioning by Belgian authorities late Tuesday.
Teufelberger had just finished giving the keynote address at the Responsible Gaming Day conference when authorities came and requested he come with them for questioning after the event at 2 pm local time. Teufelberger did go voluntarily, a company representative confirmed.
Bwin.Party Co-Founder Norbert Teufelberger Detained in Belgium
Norbert Teufelberger, co-founder of the world’s largest online betting firm Bwin.Party, was detained while visiting Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday.
Teufelberger was in attendance at the Responsible Gaming Day conference in that European nation, home to the European Union, when authorities came and requested he come with them for questioning after the event at 2 pm local time. Teufelberger did go voluntarily, a company representative confirmed.
Three-Month Delay Granted in Murder Trial of Massachusetts Mobster Whitey Bulger
BOSTON – (Associated Press) - A federal judge on Friday agreed to delay the murder trial of former mobster James "Whitey" Bulger by three months, rejecting a defense request for eight months.
U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns said he would put off Bulger's trial from March until June. He said jury selection will begin on June 6.
Three Men Accused in Ottawa Organized Crime Gambling Bust Out on Bail
Three individuals charged in connection with running an illegal online gambling website with alleged ties to organized crime in Ottawa, Canada have been released on bail over the weekend.
Benedetto Manasseri, Stephen Parrish and Gary Saikaley were all held in custody after their arrests earlier this week.
21 People Arrested in Connection to Online Sportsbook, Marijuana, Extortion Ring
The RCMP rounded up 12 people throughout the Ottawa, Canada area charging them with running an illegal sports betting website.
Poker Pro Anthony 'holdplz' Spinella Arrested for Possession of 20,000 LSD Hits
Poker pro, Anthony ‘holdplz’ Spinella was arrested earlier this week in Framingham, Massachusetts for possessing and intent to sell 20,000 hits of LSD, Ecstasy and nitrous oxide in a case reportedly tied to a California drug dealer. Police arrested Spinella, 24, of Waxhaw, North Carolina and two other men, Daniel Karabchievsky, 21, of Newton; Jared Joseph Roberge, 23, of Brooklineon Saturday, Nov. 3, at 6:50 a.m., after an investigation, prosecutor Maggie Pastuszak said in Framingham District Court.
Former Cantor Gaming Executive Mike Colbert to Plead Not Guilty
Mike Colbert, the former executive from Cantor Gaming who ran sportsbooks like those at the M Resort, was expected to plead not guilty later this month for his involvement with an illegal sports betting ring that netted some $50 million. Colbert was charged with eight counts of conspiracy, money laundering and enterprise corruption.
Montreal Mobster Shot Dead in His Driveway
72-year-old Mobster Giuseppe “Joe” Di Maulo was shot to death in his own driveway earlier this week in what may signal the end to a bloody crime family war, or could result in further bloodshed.
Dean Heller Wins Nevada Senate, John Tierney Wins Back Massachusetts Seat
Democrat Shelley Berkley, a long time ally to the online gambling sector, has lost her bid for Nevada Senator in a tight race. Berkley represented the Las Vegas area as a Congresswoman.
Republican Dean Heller has won back his seat. He is currently working with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat also from the state of Nevada, to push forward federal online gambling legislation.
Hanaway Letter Asserts Processing of Online Poker Payments No Violation of UIGEA
Quadjacks.com has confirmed that the Twitter account @BlackFridayChad is indeed Chad Elie, one of nearly a dozen defendants in a massive online poker sting operation back in April 2011 later coined “Black Friday”.
On Twitter, Elie has been leaking never-before-seen documents related to “Black Friday”.
Elie, who is due to serve a five month stint in prison shortly, refers to himself as a “Poker Player, Poker Activist, Black Friday Defendant, about to serve prison time for processing poker.” He set up the Twitter account on November 2.
Gambling Ref Tim Donaghy to Attend First NBA Game Since Prison Term
Disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was set to attend his first NBA game since serving a prison stint for gambling on games he officiated.
Donaghy, it turns out, is now a sports handicapper.
Massive Gambling Ring Targets Youth Football: ESPN Cracks Case
Nine men have been arrested in South Florida for their connection into a massive gambling operation that targeted youth football games in the region.
The 18-month investigation actually got underway thanks to ESPN.
District Attorney Vance Announces Charges Against Sportsbook Software Company ASI
Online Gaming Software Company Generated At Least $2.3 Million in Profits
Sportsbook Director Michael Colbert No Longer With Cantor Gaming Following Arrest
Robert Hubbell, a spokesman with Cantor Gaming in New York, told the Las Vegas Review Journal that Sportsbook Director Michael Colbert was no longer an employee with Cantor Gaming.
French Euromillions Site Taken Down by Hackers, Defaced: Verses From Koran Cited
The French Euromillions site was hacked and defaced with notations suggesting its “sinful” nature.
From the Register:
A group identifying itself as the “Moroccanghosts” hacking crew posted messages decrying the lottery as the work of the devil in both French and Arabic after breaking into the euromillions.fr website.
A verse from the Koran was also cited throughout.
Alderney to Investigate PinnacleSports.com
The online gambling licensing jurisdiction of Alderney does not want to take any chances following last summer’s debacle with Full Tilt Poker. On Monday it was announced they will now commence an intensive investigation into PinnacleSports.com.
Pinnacle has been implicated by US authorities for its alleged role in a $50 million sports betting ring that netted 25 individuals stateside.
Michael F. Orlando’s Coming Out Party at Philly Mob Trial: Calls it a ‘Death Sentence’
Michael F. Orlando testified for a second day at the trial of alleged mobster Joseph Ligambi.
Orlando came out this week as a government informer where he testified that he owed a small debt to Ligambi.
Cantor Gaming Sportsbook Director Michael Colbert Released on Bail
The Sportsbook Director for Cantor Gaming, Michael Colbert, has been released on $50,000 bail Friday.
Colbert, 32, was one of 25 individuals charged with conspiracy, money laundering and enterprise corruption in connection with a $50 million sports betting enterprise with ties to Pinnacle Sports in Curacao.
Colbert is scheduled to appear Monday in Las Vegas Justice Court.
Cantor Gaming Being Probed by Nevada GCB Following Arrest of Executive
The Gaming Control Board in Nevada is now focusing on possibly regulatory violations against Cantor Gaming following the arrest of its Sportsbook Director Michael Colbert on Wednesday.
NYPD Hungry for Bookies: One ‘Cannibal’ Cop Hungry for 100 Women
The NYPD announced the arrest of 25 individuals tied to a sports betting ring that netted some $50 million since the start of 2011. One of those individuals, George Molsbarger, has donated millions to various charities over the years. So sad indeed.
Philly Mob Trial: ‘I Should Just Shoot You in the Head’ Comment Just ‘Talk’
The defense in what is anticipated to be a months long Philly Mob trial claims that supposed “threats” made against two cooperating witnesses were nothing more than “talk” with no acts of actual violence.
Philadelphia mob boss Joseph Ligambi is on trial accused of running a massive organized crime operation that focused on gambling, loansharking and more.
