Crime
Convicted Gambling NBA Ref Now Working for Convicted PA Sports Handicapper
As part of his probation, gambling ref Tim Donaghy is prohibited from associating with known felons. But that’s exactly what Donaghy was caught doing and now the disgraced ref claims he just didn’t know.
It seems he is not the only one.
Poker Scam Unravels in Ontario: Many Victims Likely Have Not Come Forward
A 64-year-old British Columbia man has been arrested outside of Toronto, Canada for his role in allegedly perpetrating an elaborate “poker scam”. Victims are believed to be spread across the country, mostly in Ontario and British Columbia.
Ray Bitar Remains Detained After US Magistrate Agrees to $2.5 Mil Bond
The disgraced former CEO of now shuttered Full Tilt Poker, Ray Bitar, remained behind bars on Tuesday after voluntarily turning himself in on Monday. US law enforcement agents arrested Bitar at New York’s JFK Airport.
Bitar engaged in what prosecutors described as a “ponzi scheme” though many familiar with the case believe Bitar’s activity was more akin to plain out-and-out theft and does not quite meet the definition of a ponzi scheme.
Full Tilt Poker’s Disgraced CEO Ray Bitar in Custody: Angry Tweets Target Howard Lederer
It didn’t take long for the Twitter universe to light up once news broke of Full Tilt Poker CEO Raymond Bitar’s arrest at New York’s JFK International Airport early Monday afternoon (Eastern Standard Time).
US Prosecutors Still Allege Full Tilt Poker, Ray Bitar Engaged in Ponzi Scheme
An additional indictment was filed against Raymond Bitar, CEO of now defunct Full Tilt Poker, on Monday July 2, 2012 after he voluntarily turned himself in to US authorities.
Bitar has remained at large since April 15, 2011 following charges of money laundering and bank fraud in connection with running what was once the world's second largest online poker room.
Full Tilt Poker Founder Ray Bitar Arrested by Feds
Raymond Bitar, Executive of now defunct Full Tilt Poker, has been arrested by federal authorities in the US after turning himself in.
Bitar and about a dozen other men were charged in April 15, 2011 with money laundering and bank fraud in connection with running Full Tilt Poker, at the time the second largest Internet poker venue.
Gambling Granny Allegedly Stole Grandson’s College Funds
The New York Daily News on Monday reported that Edna Sue Pate allegedly stole more that $97,000 from a trust fund set up for grandson Christian Smith over a three year period.
The 73-year-old granny lost $93,000 at a casino during that time.
"Stealing your grandson's money? That's about as bad as you can get, short of physical assault," the boy’s father told ABC News.
Gambling News: Did Congressman John F. Tierney Knew about Sports Betting Business
This is the latest gambling news as published June 29, 2012 during the overnight and early morning hours including breaking news that Massachusetts Representative John F. Tierney may have known about his brother-in-law’s offshore sports betting business. Wife Patricia was convicted of aiding her brothers in running the Antigua-based operation. Please follow us on Twitter here for up-to-the-minute breaking news.
Top Macau Casino Tycoon Bludgeoned With Sticks, Hammer
(UPI) - A top casino magnate was bludgeoned by six men in his own casino in Macau, China, an attack police say is reminiscent of Macau's violent history.
Casino hotel investor Ng Man-sun was dining in the restaurant of the New Century Hotel Saturday with a female guest when six men rushed in and beat them with hammers and sticks. The New York Times reported Ng's legs and arms were badly injured; however, the assailants avoided striking him in the head.
Latest Gambling News – Is EU Really Planning to Reign in Offshore Online Gambling Sites
This is the latest gambling news as published June 28, 2012 during the Noon EST hour includes a plan by the EU to crush online gambling businesses...or maybe not. Please follow us on Twitter here for up-to-the-minute breaking news.
The EU Wants to Reign in Illegal Online Gambling Websites
Full Tilt Poker Defendant John Campos Gets Sentenced to Three Months Prison
A former Utah banker, John Campos, has been sentenced to three months prison time for his role in an alleged money laundering scheme involving online poker rooms PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and UB.com.
Campos was sentenced Wednesday in Manhattan. The former vice chairman of SunFirst Bank in St. George pleaded guilty in March to a misdemeanor gambling charge.
Alleged Connecticut Gambling Boss Denied Bond
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — (Associated Press) - A federal magistrate judge in Connecticut has temporarily denied bond to the reputed boss of illegal gambling rings in southwestern Connecticut allegedly connected to the Gambino crime family.
Police Arrest 6 in Alleged Female Gambling Ring
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — Police have arrested six women on gambling-related charges after officers broke up a gambling operation based out of at least two homes in a quiet suburban Atlanta neighborhood.
Gwinnett County police tell WSB-TV they got an anonymous tip from someone who was upset about the amount their spouse was gambling at one of the homes. When officers arrived, they discovered gambling machines.
More Delays in UB.com Exec Brent Beckley Sentencing
As reported by PokerFuse.com, attorneys representing an executive from UB.com are seeking to delay sentencing of their client even further.
Advertisement: The Revolution Begins NOW – Introducing the NEW Lock Poker…
Blue Monday Online Gambling Defendant Must Pay $100 Fine
On June 8, 2012, software professional David Parchomchuk appeared in Maryland Court to face charges stemming from last year's Blue Monday indictments. He accepted a DOJ plea bargain which saw him plead guilty to conspiracy to conduct an illegal gambling business for which Judge Catherine Blake fined Parchomchuk $100, along with 2 years of unsupervised probation. Prior charges of money laundering were dropped by the DOJ.
Online Gambling Site BetED.com Software Programmer Sentenced
A software programmer with the now defunct online gambling website BetED.com have been sentenced.
Darren Wright and David Parchomchuk were caught up in a sting operation run by the US Attorney’s Office out of Maryland in May of last year. Agents with that office set up a phone payment processing company and transferred millions of dollars in funds on behalf of BetED.
Connecticut Gambling Ring Busted
NEW HAVEN — (Associated Press) - Federal prosecutors say twenty people have been charged with crimes related to alleged involvement in illegal Internet sports bookmaking and card gambling clubs in Stamford and Hamden. The U.S. Attorney’s office for Connecticut says the defendants include alleged associates of the Gambino crime family.
Bail Denied for Second Suspect in Kidnap Plot to Avenge High Stakes Poker Losses
Pavlos “Paul” Kaimacliotis, a citizen of both the US and Cypriot, won’t be granted bail following accusations that he conspired to kidnap a wealthy Palm Beach Gardens businessman for $20 million in order to avenge losses from high stakes poker games.
Cannibal, Poker Playing Porn Star Arrested in Germany
A self-proclaimed porn star who dabbled in poker, Luka Rocco Magnotta, 29, has been arrested in Germany, Canadian authorities confirmed on Monday.
Gay Porn Star Killer Who Chopped Up Ex, Ate His Buttocks Luka Magnotta was Poker Player
Canada’s Most Wanted, former gay porn star Luka Magnotta, was apparently a poker player.
Magnotta is wanted for allegedly chopping up his ex boyfriend and eating a portion of his buttocks then mailing various body parts to government officials. Magnotta also filmed the brutal murder scene and posted the video online.
He is believed to be in hiding, quite possibly in France. Magnotta could also be dressing up as a woman.
Kidnap Plan Foiled: FBI Claims Men Wanted Revenge for Poker Losses
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - The FBI has arrested two men in Palm Beach County for allegedly plotting a kidnapping partly as revenge for one suspect's poker losses.
Investigators identified the pair as 50-year-old Michael James Melillo and 38-year-old Pavlos Kaimacliotis. Both were jailed Thursday awaiting a bail hearing Friday.
Gambling Not a Dirty Word According to US Government: Pork, Cloud, Mexico Are
The US Department of Homeland Security was required to release its list of key words and phrases monitored on social media websites and, surprisingly, “gambling” was not among them.
Thank the Genovese Crime Family for Bringing Legalized Sports Betting, Online Poker to NJ
Should sports betting and/or online poker become legalized in the Garden State over the next 3 to 6 months, gamblers might want to give a big “Thank You” to the Genovese crime family, with its operations based out of Northern New Jersey.
Lesniak Cites Mob Bust as Reason Why New Jersey Must Legalize Online Gambling
Following a New Jersey Mob bust tied to offshore Internet gambling on Wednesday, State Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak called on Governor Chris Christie to embrace his bill to legalize Web gambling in the state, including sports betting.
13 Busted in New Jersey for Running Internet Gambling Website: $2.2 Billion in Bets
Thirteen alleged members of the Genovese crime family have been charged with federal racketeering in a case connected to Internet gambling. The individuals were rounded up on Wednesday (May 23, 2012), including an 80-year-old man.
Authorities allege that the multi-billion dollar sports betting business was run through an Internet website and office based out of the Web gambling hub of San Jose, Costa Rica. $2.2 billion in bets were taken over the past 16 months, according to the complaint. Payouts and collections are said to have been made on New Jersey soil via agents.
Online Gambling Sector Marks One Year Anniversary of 'Blue Monday'
Today, May 23, 2012, is the one-year anniversary of “Blue Monday”, the day in which the US Attorney’s Office in Baltimore seized nearly a dozen online gambling domain names following a two-year sting operation.
The US Attorney’s Office set up a phony payment processor as part of its investigation and attempted to lure i-Gaming execs operating in other foreign jurisdictions to Guam, a US territory, where arrests could be made. That never happened.
One company, BetED.com, ultimately shut down. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were also seized from BetED.
Bellagio Botched Robbery: Bandit Loses Wig, Casino Chips
LAS VEGAS — (Associated Press) - A hapless bandit lost his wig, sunglasses and $115,000 worth of casino chips when security wrestled him to the floor during a botched weekend heist at a posh Vegas Strip resort, authorities said Monday.
Two men attempted to rob the Bellagio on Saturday night by spraying a blackjack dealer and others with a caustic eye-burning chemical, police said.
With the distraction in the air, Michael Q. Belton snatched up nearly two dozen high-value chips and took off for the door, according to a police report.
Atlantic City Casino Stabbing Leaves Tourist Officials Stunned
The stabbing deaths of two female Canadian tourists outside the Bally’s Atlantic City casino hotel has left tourist officials stunned and dismayed Monday.
Both women, ages 80 and 47, were killed during a Monday morning robbery. Neither victim has been identified.
UB.com Poker Exec Brent Beckley Sentencing Rescheduled for June 28
Brent Beckley, one of about a dozen men indicted on April 15, 2011, charged with bank fraud and money laundering in connection with running online poker sites, will face sentencing on June 28 at 2:30 pm EST (This will be on a Thursday).
The sentence was to be handed down on May 21, 2012 but was rescheduled once again.
AFL Star Tony Smith Back on Mermaid Beach: Once Sold Mega House to ‘Rat’ Daniel Tzvetkoff
AFL star Tony Smith is making a comeback on Mermaid Beach on Australia’s Gold Coast. He just purchased a 1,220-square-metre holding on Surf Street, which runs off Albatross Avenue.
