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A female employee of the now shuttered online sportsbook Legends Sports has plead guilty in a New York federal court to laundering $8 million.
Michele Lasso-Barraza, a Panama City, Panama national, pleaded guilty Thursday via a video feed from Florida to conspiracy to commit money laundering charges filed in U.S. District Court in Albany.
Lasso-Barraza was one of nearly three dozen people indicted last spring as part of a probe that had been ongoing for nearly ten years. Legends Sports was one of the first and largest US-facing wagering firms. Betting accounts for the majority of Legends customers have since been transferred to Costa Rica-based WagerWeb.com, one of the most respected online bookmakers.
Lasso-Barraza was residing in Parkland, Fla. at the time of her arrest and faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 when she is sentenced Feb. 28.
Her co-defendant and the gambling ring's leader, 52-year-old Philip Gurian of Boca Raton, Fla., pleaded guilty last month to money laundering. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6.
A rogue terminated employee of Legends Sports is being blamed for contacting federal authorities, which helped kick off the investigation.
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
