Crime
Macau Murder Spate Worrisome as Growth Slows in Casino Mecca
HONG KONG (Reuters) - In Macau, three murders in the past two weeks have raised fears that violent crime is growing more common at the same time as the island's casino operators are struggling with slower growth.
Mass Congressman John F. Tierney Under Fire for Dining at Antiguan Bookie’s Home
“Dinner at my wife’s brother’s house. I don’t think that people would think that’s extraordinary,” Massachusetts Congressman John F. Tierney said at a recent news conference.
That is unless your brother-in-law just happens to be Bobby Eremian, one of the first men to set up an offshore sports betting company on the island of Antigua where Tierney and his wife were invited guests.
South Carolina Man Arrested for Killing Wife, Gambling Associate
Columbia, S.C. – (Associated Press) - Investigators say they have charged a man with killing his wife and his colleague in a gambling business in his upscale suburban Columbia home.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said 42-year-old Brett Parker turned himself in Friday after two murder charges were filed more than three months after the killings.
Lott says Parker shot his 44-year-old wife, Tammy, then picked up another gun and shot 46-year-old Brian Capnerhurst on April 13. Arrest warrants say Parker then tried to make it look like he was being robbed.
BetED.com Head Gets 2 Years Probation in ‘Blue Monday’ Online Gambling Conviction
Darren Wright, the 43-year-old head of now defunct online gambling outfit BetED.com, has been given two years probation for his role in running the establishment.
Wright was charged with bank fraud and aiding and abetting in regard to running an illegal gambling operation.
Former Arizona Legislator Convicted in Casino Gambling Scheme Charged with Impersonating Son
SAN DIEGO – (Associated Press) - California prosecutors say a former Arizona legislator who went to prison in a 1990 corruption scandal used his son's identity to get a California ID card and real estate license so he could work as a broker and teach a real estate class.
U-T San Diego reported Thursday that Don Kenney has been charged with five felonies including perjury, forgery and impersonating his son, a Washington state attorney.
Defendant in ‘Blue Monday’ Online Gambling Indictment Sentencing Sealed
No word yet on the fate of Darren Wright, the 43-year-old head of defunct online gambling company BetED.com and ThrillX.
Wright was caught up in a sting operation organized by the US Attorneys Office in Baltimore resulting in charges of money laundering and aiding and abetting of an online gambling business back in May of last year. The investigation took place over a nearly two-year period.
Alleged Casino Cheaters Headed to Court in Ohio
CLEVELAND - (Associated Press) — Prosecutors say they have compelling video evidence against the first suspected casino cheaters in Ohio.
Seven men have been indicted in Cleveland on illegal gambling charges and six are due in court Wednesday morning. The seventh was arraigned last week and pleaded not guilty.
Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH'-guh) County Prosecutor Bill Mason says he will show surveillance video from the new Horseshoe casino if any case goes to trial. In his words, "It's not going to be difficult to figure out what they are doing."
BetED.com Head Darren Wright Arraigned Monday
A defendant caught up in a Maryland US Attorney online gambling sting operation has been arraigned. Update: Sentencing was under seal.
Kentucky Domain Seizure Deemed ‘Unconstitutional’ by None Other Than US Feds
Attempts by the Commonwealth of Kentucky to seize several dozen online gambling-related domain names have been deemed “Unconstitutional” by none other than the US Justice Department.
Rachel Maddow: A Sheldon Adelson Justice Department Would Make ‘Macau’ Probe Go Away (Video)
Sands boss, billionaire and one of the top contributors to the Republican party, Sheldon Adelson, is fast becoming one of the most loathed men within the poker community. Many players have called for an all-out boycott of his properties. These include the Sands, Venetian and the Palazzo in Las Vegas. Sands also operates properties in other parts of the US including Bethlehem, Pennsylvania as well as in China's Macau.
Three Men in Alabama Gambling Voter Selling, Bingo Bribery Case Sentenced to 5-7 Years
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — (Associated Press) - A federal judge has sentenced three men who pleaded guilty in an Alabama Statehouse bribery scheme to several years in federal prison.
Sentencing in Alabama Gambling Vote Selling, Bingo Bribery Convictions Today
Phillip Rawls, Associated Press
(Associated Press) - A former federal judge said it’s highly unlikely that a casino developer who admitted offering millions in bribes will come out a winner in his attempt to avoid a prison sentence.
Three of the four people who pleaded guilty in Alabama’s gambling corruption case — Country Crossing casino developer Ronnie Gilley, casino lobbyist Jarrod Massey and former state Rep. Terry Spicer — are scheduled for sentencing today in Montgomery by U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson.
Texas Online Poker Payment Processor Agrees to Forfeit $6m
A Texas-based online poker payment processor indicted April 15, 2011 has agreed to forfeit $5 million.
LST Financial of San Antonio and managing director Gregory Colton also promised "not to knowingly provide, either directly or indirectly, payment processing services for Internet gambling, including Internet poker”.
The company claims it was duped into processing the payments by three online poker rooms that were also charged at the time, including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and UB.com.
Phil Ivey First Interview in Three Years: No Questions About Full Tilt Poker Debacle
We’ve been wanting to hear from Phil Ivey for the past year following the April 2011 indictment of Full Tilt Poker. We got the interview, but sorely lacking was any mention of Full Tilt Poker, not from the interviewer and not from Ivey. Its abrupt closure following accusations of improprieties ranging from a ponzi scheme to money laundering to bank fraud has resulted in millions of dollars being owed to players.
DOJ Asks for Leniency for Absolute Poker Executive
The US Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York have requested a reduced sentenced for an executive of Absolute Poker who they say has been fully cooperative following charges of money laundering and bank fraud in April 2011.
Brent Beckley’s sentencing has been postponed on a number of occasions already. Beckley acted as an executive for both Absolute Poker and UB.com.
Howard Lederer, PokerStars File For Motion to Dismiss in Online Poker Complaint
The US Government contends the man most associated with disgraced Full Tilt Poker, Howard Lederer, had been involved in an elaborate ponzi scheme. Last week, US authorities arrested Full Tilt CEO Raymond Bitar, who was indicted for money laundering and bank fraud last year. They slapped a superseding indictment upon Bitar immediately following his arrest, charging he too was involved in a ponzi scheme to defraud customers.
So Just Who Are The 5 Supporting Ray Bitar: Poker Boss Backers Should be Exposed
It came to light Monday night that Full Tilt Poker disgraced CEO Raymond Bitar was released after posting $2 million in cash and property to secure his $2.5 million bond. This included a warehouse owned by the one-time Internet poker kingpin.
None of this was entirely surprising. Immediately following his arrest at New York’s JFK Airport last week, a judge had indicated Bitar would be allowed out on bail.
Full Tilt Poker CEO Ray Bitar Released From Prison
The disgraced CEO of shuttered online poker company Full Tilt Poker has been released from prison after surrendering to law enforcement in the US last week.
Raymond Bitar was freed on $2.5 million bond only after agreeing to post $2 million in property to ensure he returns to U.S. District Court in Manhattan when prompted to do so.
Full Tilt Poker Disgraced CEO Raymond Bitar Must Remain in Prison
Following his arrest this past week, Full Tilt Poker’s CEO Raymond Bitar was unable to make the bail term requirement of $2.4 million.
Over the weekend, things suddenly changed. It now appears as if Bitar will remain in prison for the foreseeable future. The $2.4 million bail deal will no longer be in effect.
Congressman John Tierney Vows to Stay in Race Following Gambling Allegations
Massachusetts Congressman John Tierney has said he will stay in the race to hold his House seat despite allegations he knew of an “illegal” offshore wagering site that employed his wife Patrice.
Tierney’s wife served as an accountant for her brothers betting company based out of Antigua.
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
