Gambling Informant Claims Billionaire Offered Millions to Sleep With His Wife
- Edmonton Oilers owner allegedly offered millions to sleep with gambler’s wife
- Robert Cipriani filed defamation suit in New York this past week
- Cipriani ‘s wife stars in Jane The Virgin and claims she was lured to Daryl Katz hotel room on different occasions
- Cipriani helped bring down gambling ring tied to former USC football player Owen Hanson
(This article was originally published April 10, 2017 and has been updated) - A professional gambler, who has been banned from nearly every casino in the world, is claiming that billionaire hockey team owner Daryl Katz offered Brazilian model Greice Santo £1.6million to sleep with him six times a month for a year.
Robert Cipriani filed a suit in New York against Katz’ PR man Glenn Bunting, alleging defamation of character. Katz owns the Edmonton Oilers and is considered the 12th wealthiest man in Canada.
Cipriani’s wife, who stars in US comedy series Jane The Virgin, alleges that in 2015 she was twice lured to the hotel room of Katz, who owns hockey team the Edmonton Oilers.
She said although she turned down his advances, he sent her money twice.
Mrs Santo stated in her police report: “Katz said he could put me in a big role that would change my life and then switched the conversation and said he’d rather give me money.”
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According to the report, she claimed Katz said: “I’m talking about millions. This would help your family and you so you don’t struggle.”
Mrs Santo said she asked what she would have to do in exchange and claims he told her: “I’m looking for companionship and sex.”
Santo claims she used the money received from Katz to start her own charity, Glam, to help battered and bullied women.
Cipriani was named as an informant in a highly publicized illegal gambling case involving former USC football star Owen Hanson.
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The San Diego Union-Tribune reported at the time:
Cipriani has very publicly and colorfully disclosed his involvement in the case — from his recruitment as a would-be money launderer to receiving death threats to working with the San Diego FBI. He talks of trying to get a movie or book deal out of the whole thing.
Owen and his accomplices were ultimately taken down by law enforcement, with help from Cipriani, who went by the moniker “Robin Hood 702’.
Owen is currently serving a 21-year sentence.
Oilers Entertainment Group provided a statement from Katz's lawyer, saying the lawsuit is without merit.
"Robert J. Cipriani is a convicted felon who has been menacing Mr. Katz and his family for more than a year. The allegations in the complaint filed against Mr. Bunting and his company, and the assertions made in that document about Mr. Katz, are false, malicious and entirely without merit.”
In May 2019 it was revealed that Katz is suffering a life-threatening bacteria-resistant sinus infection.
The 57-year-old’s illness has kept him away from the team in recent years but upon introducing Ken Holland as the Oilers’ new general manager May 7, 2019, his sickly appearance quickly became the top Twitter trend in Canada, leading to concern among fans and media alike.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
