Bodog Founder Calvin Ayre Indicted

Federal prosecutors in Baltimore on Tuesday unsealed an indictment against Calvin Ayre following the seizure of the Bodog.com domain name late Monday night.  Ayre was profiled in the cover story of the Forbes Billionaire issue. 

A press release was expected by the US Attorney’s Office out of Maryland shortly. 

Rod Rosenstein, the U.S. Attorney in Baltimore, indicted Ayre and three other men, James Philip, David Ferguson and Derrick Maloney. The company, Bodog Entertainment Group, is also under indictment and its domain name has been seized by federal prosecutors.

BODOG AND FOUR CANADIAN INDIVIDUALS INDICTED FOR CONDUCTING INTERNET GAMBLING BUSINESS GENERATING OVER $100 MILLION IN SPORTS GAMBLING WINNINGS
 
Alleged Online Sports Betting Conducted Over a Period of Seven Years
 
        Baltimore, Maryland - A federal grand jury has indicted Bodog Entertainment Group S.A., d/b/a/ Bodog.com and the following individuals, all from Canada,  for conducting an illegal sports gambling business and conspiring to commit money laundering:
 
        Calvin Ayre, age 50;
        James Philip, age 58;
        David Ferguson; and
        Derrick Maloney.
 
The indictment was returned on February 22, 2012 and unsealed today.
 
        The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric C. Hylton of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
 
        “Sports betting is illegal in Maryland, and federal law prohibits bookmakers from flouting that law simply because they are located outside the country,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Many of the harms that underlie gambling prohibitions are exacerbated when the enterprises operate over the internet without regulation.”
 
                “Today’s indictment of Bodog Entertainment Group S.A. and its founder and operators sends a strong deterrent message to those that facilitate illegal online sports betting operations and commit crimes against our nation’s financial system,” said William Winter, Special Agent in Charge of ICE HSI in Baltimore. “The proceeds from illegal Internet gambling are sometimes used to fuel organized crime and support criminal activity. ICE HSI, together with our law enforcement partners, will disrupt and dismantle organizations that commit these crimes, regardless of their location, whether here in the United States or abroad.”
 
        The two count indictment alleges that from at least June 9, 2005 to January 6, 2012 the defendants conducted an illegal gambling business involving online sports betting.  The defendants and their conspirators allegedly moved funds from Bodog’s accounts located in Switzerland, England, Malta, Canada and elsewhere to pay winnings to gamblers, and to pay media brokers and advertisers located in the United States.  The conspirators directed payment processors to send at least $100 million by wire and by check to gamblers located in Maryland and elsewhere.
 
        According to the indictment, the conspirators allegedly caused a media broker to execute an advertising campaign to attract gamblers in the United States to the Bodog.com website.  From 2005 to 2008 the conspirators allegedly paid over $42 million in costs for the advertising campaign.
 
        “Internet gambling, along with other types of illegal e-commerce, is an area of great interest to IRS Criminal Investigation,” said Acting IRS Special Agent in Charge Eric Hylton. “Laundering money from illegal activity such as illegal internet gambling is a crime. Regardless of how the money changes hands - via cash, check, wire transfers or credit cards - and regardless of where the money is stored - in a United States financial institution or an offshore bank - we will trace the funds. IRS Criminal Investigation will vigorously investigate and recommend prosecution against the owners and operators of these illegal enterprises to the fullest extent possible.”
 
        According to the affidavit in support of a seizure warrant, an ex-employee of Bodog stated that Bodog has hundreds of employees located in Canada and Costa Rica who handle the daily operations of taking bets, tracking sports events, customer service, website development, advertising and financial transactions.  The ex-employee also identified Bodog’s top level officers and directors.
 
        Yesterday, the warrant was executed seizing Bodog’s website domain name.
 
        The individual defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for conducting a gambling business; and 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy.   Bodog.com faces a maximum fine of $500,000 on each of the two counts.  The initial appearances of the individual defendants have not been scheduled.
 
        An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
 
        United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised ICE HSI , IRS - CI, Anne Arundel County Police Department and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Richard C. Kay, who is prosecuting the case.