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A Las Vegas man and so-called “betting expert” has been sentenced to 18 months behind bars for running an illegal gambling operation while hiding funds from the IRS.
Tony Chau, 32, originally from Vietnam, was ordered to pay $567,571 in restitution to the IRS while forfeiting another $1.4 million to the government.
Chau operated the sportsbettingchamp.com website with help from offshore sports books in Costa Rica and Panama. That site has since been shut down.
He pleaded guilty to three charges: conducting an illegal gambling business, money laundering and making a false statement on a tax return.
Chau was also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service and stay out of the gambling business for three years upon his release.
The IRS investigation revealed that Chau failed to report the $1.4 million he earned from the offshore sports books on his tax returns between 2008 and 2011.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
