Crime
Elizabeth Warren Endorses Tierney: Wife Served Time in Offshore Gambling Case
Massachusetts Senior Senator Elizabeth Warren has endorsed eight-time Democratic incumbent Congressman John Tierney, who is expected to fight a tough primary this upcoming November.
Gambling911.com readers became familiar with Tierney after his wife Patrice was charged for her role in the operation of her brother Robert Eremian’s offshore gambling enterprise. She served as an accountant for the long established Antigua-based gambling business, Sports Off Shore.
Mobster Matthew ‘Matty’ Guglielmetti Released From Prison After 10 Years
A New England mob associate, Matthew ‘Matty’ Guglielmetti, was released from prison last week after serving 10 years. He will now be under house confinement according to reports.
The 65-year-old Guglielmetti is a high ranking figure in the powerful Patriarca crime family of La Costa Nostra. He plead guilty to drug trafficking over a decade ago but was also said to be active in the family’s gambling and loan sharking business.
Florida Prosecutors Want Ex-FBI Agent Conviction in Murder of Gambling Exec
MIAMI - (Associated Press) — Florida prosecutors are asking an appeals court to reconsider its decision to toss the murder conviction and prison sentence for a former FBI agent in a mob-style killing linked to jailed Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger.
Men Who Escaped Quebec Prison Via Helicopter had Mob Ties
The three men who escaped a Quebec prison over the weekend via helicopter each had ties to the Mob and Hell’s Angels.
Yves Denis, 35, Denis Lefebvre, 53, and Serge Pomerleau, 49, broke out of the Quebec province jail Saturday evening.
"The helicopter landed in a courtyard at the detention center," police spokeswoman Ann Mathieu told the French news channel RDI on Sunday.
€242,230 Seized From 2010 Paddy Power Irish Open Runner Up Proceeds of Crime
Poker player Paul Carr, 34, will not be getting his €242,230 back. Authorities seized the money as part of two separate probes and determined last week that funds were derived through criminal activities.
FBI Probe Into Illegal Gambling Business Details Prosecutor’s Extortion Plot
JOPLIN, Mo. — (Associated Press) - Hundreds of pages of reports from an FBI investigation into illegal gambling in Joplin and the surrounding areas show a wide-ranging vice operation that involved influential people in southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas.
The Joplin Globe (http://bit.ly/SoJHN0 ) obtained more than 600 pages of documents in response to a Freedom of Information request the newspaper filed in 2012 because the investigation had led to the firing of a Joplin police officer and indictments against three bookmakers.
Gambino Capo Gets Life Sentence for Double Homicide, Heroin Dealing, Gambling
Gambino Crime Family captain Bartolomeo “Bobby Glasses” Vernace, 65, has been sentenced to life in prison for a double homicide committed 33 years ago over a spilled drink. He will not be eligible for parole.
Sports Betting Billy Walters on FBI Probe: ‘I Am Innocent of Doing Anything Wrong’
Legendary sports betting professional Billy Walters spoke to CNBC on Tuesday insisting he did nothing wrong in regard to an insider trading probe. Walters, billionaire investor Carl Icahn and golfer Phil Nickelson have each been tied to the ongoing FBI and SEC investigation. Nickelson said over the weekend that he is fully cooperating with the Feds.
FBI Unable to Tap Phone Calls of Gambler Billy Walters as Part of SEC Probe
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will be unable to use electronic surveillance in its investigation into golf pro Phil Mickelson and professional sports gambler Billy Walters. Public knowledge of a probe into alleged insider trading prevents the law enforcement agency from tapping into the phones of both individuals.
Ex-Bayern Chief Begins Three-and-a-Half Year Prison Term: Gambled on Markets
The former Bayern FC boos Uli Hoeness began serving his three-and-a-half year prison sentence for evading $28.5 million euros in taxes. The 62-year-old will serve time at a prison in Landsberg am Lech effective Monday (June 2).
Hoeness admitted to the tax evasion charges back in March. He was originally facing a sentence of between five and ten years.
"I'm glad that this is all out in the open now," Hoeness said in March. "I deeply regret my wrongdoing. I'm doing everything I can to put this unhappy chapter behind me."
Mickleson Says He Did Nothing Wrong: Cooperating in Probe Involving Billy Walters
Hall of Fame Golf pro Phil Mickelson confirmed to the Associated Press that FBI agents approached him at the Memorial Tournament in regard to an insider trading probe. Mickelson insisted Saturday he did “absolutely nothing wrong”.
FBI, SEC Probe Into Big Time Gambler Billy Walters, Carl Icahn, Phil Mickelson
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating possible insider trading involving billionaire investor Carl Icahn, golfer Phil Mickelson and Las Vegas gambler William Walters, a source familiar with the matter said.
Poker Player Defrauds Bank Out of A$100 Million: Faces 142 Charges
Professional poker player William Jordanou, 55, is accused of providing false documents to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in order to get about $100 million in loans with three other men. He faces 142 charges.
Jordanou was acting as a financial adviser to a Scoresby-based accounting firm between the years 2004 and 2013. He is alleged to have provided the bank with false tax documents, letters of employment and invoices.
His lawyer George Defteros asserted his client would strenuously fight the charges. ‘
Man Serving Time for Property Fraud Indicted for Running Sportsbook
A Minnesota man currently serving a four year prison sentence for property fraud has been charged with running an online sportsbook with servers based in Costa Rica.
Philadelphia Mobster Heading to Prison for Role in Illegal Gambling Business
PHILADELPHIA — (Associated Press) - A man who authorities say worked for the Philadelphia mob is heading to prison for his role in an illicit video poker operation.
Forty-three-year-old Eric Esposito is described by federal prosecutors as a foot soldier of La Cosa Nostra. A judge sentenced him Wednesday to 27 months behind bars.
Online Poker Processor Rat Daniel Tzvetkoff Will Likely Avoid Prison
The man who brought down PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker’s businesses in the US is not likely to receive any jail time.
Racketeering Law Does Not Cover Online Gambling Losses in Arizona
PHOENIX (Associated Press) — A state court decision says people who voluntarily engage in online gambling can't use Arizona's anti-racketeering law to sue websites' operators to recover gambling losses.
The state Court of Appeals decision issued Thursday upholds a Maricopa County Superior Court judge's ruling against a man who had sued several operators of gambling websites after he lost $800,000.
The man's lawsuit alleged that the websites were an enterprise engaged in civil racketeering.
Man Driving to Collect Gambling Debt Goes Missing: No Show at Daughter’s Wedding
Police in Texas are investigating the disappearance of William P. Abel, 39, who was reported missing after he failed to show up for his daughter’s wedding the next day. Abel was to walk his daughter down the aisle.
Runner Up of 2011 WSOP Main Event Martin Stazko Was Target of Kidnap Plot
Czech poker pro Martin Staszko was the target of a kidnapping plot by a group of individuals suspected in the disappearance of two wealthy businessmen, it was revealed last week.
Bwin.Party Executives Acquitted in French Court
Bwin.party chief executive Norbert Teufelberger and the former co-CEO of bwin Manfred Bodner were acquitted in a French court on charges of violating Internet gambling laws in that country.
New Jersey Attorney General Denies Access to Online Gambling Affiliates
Online gambling affiliates, some of whom had already obtained their vendor licenses in the state of New Jersey, were dealt a serious blow by that state’s Attorney General last week. But it is actually the casinos themselves that will feel the most pain.
New Jersey Assistant Attorney General George N. Rover informed those affiliates of state licensed online casinos that they would be restricted from directly targeting NJ residents or visitors unless they removed all links and banners from offshore gambling sites still conducting business in the state.
Ex-NFL Player Charged With Illegal Gambling Busted Twice in One Week With Drugs
Former NFL player Rache Caldwell has been arrested for trying to sell the drug Molly.
Police had been monitoring Caldwell’s movements following his arrest just days prior for attempting to sell Ecstasy on the street.
And earlier this year he was arrested for running an illegal gambling ring.
Borgata Faces New Lawsuit in Counterfeit Poker Chip Scandal
Six poker players filed suit against Atlantic City’s Borgata Casino this week over prize money not paid when a tournament was cancelled due to the discovery of counterfeit chips.
Crime Gangs Laundering $140 Billion a Year Through Sports Betting Sites
(Reuters) - Criminals are using betting on sports events to launder $140 billion each year, a report said on Thursday, exposing a lack of effective regulation that allows match-fixing to spread.
Soccer and cricket were identified as the sports most threatened by criminals seeking to rig the gambling market but tennis, basketball, motor racing and badminton were also affected, according to the report, which is based on a two-year research.
Joran Van Der Sloot to Marry in Prison, Become a Father
Dutchman Joran van der Sloot’s lawyer Maximo Altez confirmed that the convicted killer is set to marry while serving a 28-year prison sentence and he will become a father.
Van der Sloot was convicted of killing a 21-year-old female Peruvian student he met in a Lima casino in 2010. He had been visiting Peru to follow the Latin American Poker Tour.
Michael Sam Boyfriend Dated Gay Porn Star: League “In Bed With Mobsters”
As if having a boyfriend whose family allegedly had mob ties were not enough, now there are reports that Michael Sam’s beau was once intimately involved with a gay porn star named Austin Wilde.
Sam was named Southeastern Conference Champion of the Year in 2013. He's now the first openly gay NFL player.
‘Tsunami of Corruption’ is Heading for Aussie Sports Warns Match-Fixing Expert
Journalist and corruption in sport expert Declan Hill has warned of a “tsunami of corruption” about to hit Australian sport.
He uttered the dire warning while addressing the second Victoria Police Integrity in Sport Symposium in Melbourne.
"The match fixing linked to the Asian gambling networks have destroyed most Asian sports.
"The sports fans of Asia, the gambling people, the fixers of Asia are now going to turn their attention to Australia."
Man Who Beheaded Exotic Bird at Flamingo Casino in Las Vegas Gets Probation
A University of California, Berkley law school graduate has been sentenced to probation after beheading an exotic bird at a Las Vegas casino in 2012.
Justin Teixeira received the four years of following a prison boot camp program.
His sentence also includes 16 hours a month of unpaid work at an animal shelter.
Teixeira pleaded guilty to beheading a rare 14-year-old helmeted guinea fowl while at the Flamingo’s Wildlife Habitat.
Alcohol was involved in the crime.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
Michael Sam’s Boyfriend From Mob Family: Grandfather Stuffed Bodies in Sewers
It was the kiss seen around the world that everyone was talking about Monday – Michael Sam selected to the St. Louis Rams, then engaging in a kiss with his boyfriend on national television upon learning of the news.
Sam is officially the first openly gay player in the NFL. There was some question as to whether he would be selected in this year’s NFL Draft and he nearly wasn’t. Sam was one of the last picks.
Australian Casino Magnate James Packer Receives A$500 Fine for Brawl
Crown Resorts Ltd. Chairman James Packer has been fined A$500 for a May 4 street brawl near Sydney’s Bondi Beach. The other man involved in the altercation, Nine Entertainment’s CEO David Gyngell has also been fined the same amount.