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.
The investigation, referred to as “Project Amethyst”, began September 2010. The 21 individuals were also charged with producing marijuana, gaming, extortion, book-making and organized crime-related offences.
Named in the indictment are:
- Benedetto Manasseri, age 49 of Ottawa
- Stephen Parrish, age 45 of Ottawa
- Gary Saikaley, age 49 of Ottawa
- Eric Russel, age 54 of Thorne
- Daniel Landreville, age 37 of Aylmer
- William Hamel, age 47 years Gatineau
- Christopher Oliver, age 27 of Ottawa
- David Ross, age 46 of Ottawa
- Kyle Michael Gourgon, age 28 of Ottawa
- Patrick Moulton, age 31 of Ottawa
- Ramzi Sayah, age 38 of Ottawa
- Ajay BhandariI, age 32 of Ottawa
- Robin Golby, age 37 of Ottawa
- Daniel Ranieri, age 28 of Bolton, Ont.
- Jules Alter, age 59 of Ottawa
- Michael Delorme, age 27, currently incarcerated
- Lucien St-Jean, age 64 of Plantagenet, Ont.
- Simon Leclair, age 70 of Ottawa
- Alain Normand, age 50 of Plantagenet, Ont.
- Guylaine Duval, age 49 of Plantagenet, Ont.
- Domenico Arecchi, age 47 of Ottawa
The group is facing a total of 54 charges, some related to millions of dollars exchanged with an illegal sports betting website.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police “A” Division, in partnership with the Ontario Provincial Police and Ottawa Police Service all took part in the investigation.
"In today’s environment, law enforcement agencies must rely on integrated, intelligence-led approaches to reduce the threat and impact of Organized Crime. The RCMP is committed to work very closely with its various national and international law enforcement partners to dismantle Organized Crime networks” said Superintendent Sylvain Berthiaume, officer in charge of the “A” Division, Organized Crime and Border Integrity programs.
The Ottawa arrests comes just two weeks after a major sports betting ring was taken down in the United States. Three owners of PinnacleSports.com were arrested as part of that investigation, which does not have any connection to the RCMP investigation.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
