Crime
Gambling Nuke Commander Denies Bombshell Fake Poker Chip Allegations
A high-ranking admiral who once watched over the U.S. nuclear supply has denied any wrongdoing in a Navy investigation into counterfeit chips.
Rhode Island Ex-Attorney General in Hot Water Over Gambling Lobbying
A former Rhode Island Attorney General is being investigated to determine if he violated state lobbying rules by making appeals to his former colleagues on behalf of a Nevada gambling casino. Patrick C. Lynch, a Democrat, served from 2003 to 2010.
Wynn Resorts Probe for Possible Money Laundering Tied to Sports Betting
CNBC is reporting that Wynn Resorts is under investigation for possible money laundering, specifically sports betting by high rollers and whether VIPs laundered drug money through the company’s casino.
Rhode Island Mobster Sentenced for Running Sports Betting Ring
A high-ranking member of the New England mob was sentenced to a 10-year suspended sentence and 10 years probation before a Superior Court judge on Wednesday after pleading no contest to a charge of conspiracy to commit a felony and racketeering.
Edward C. Lato, 67, is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence in connection to a l $1.5 million extortion ring involving the shakedown of Rhode Island strip club owners.
‘Canary’ Mobster Who Helped Whack Brother-in-Law Gets Sentence of Time Served
A mob rat who helped in the 1988 murder of his brother-in-law has been rewarded with a sentence of time served – just three days.
Thieves Make Off With Thousands of Dollars in Casino Chips
UNCASVILLE, Connecticut —(Associated Press) Tribal police at the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut are searching for two men who made off with thousands of dollars worth of gambling chips.
Police say one of the suspects took the chips off a casino table Friday night and punched the victim, who tried to confront the thief.
Authorities say the robber then ran off and left the casino with another man, and both drove away in a maroon-colored vehicle.
Appeals Court to Re-Hear Case of Ex-FBI Agent Turned Mobster
MIAMI (Associated Press) — A Florida appeals court in February will reconsider its decision to toss the murder conviction and prison sentence for a former FBI agent in a mob-style killing linked to jailed Boston mobster James “Whitey” Bulger.
The 3rd District Court of Appeal set oral arguments Feb. 12 in the case of ex-agent John Connolly. A three-judge panel of the court ruled in May that Connolly’s second-degree murder conviction was barred by the statute of limitations because a firearms enhancement was improperly applied.
FBI Defends Ruse to Shut Off to Shut Off Internet in Gambling Case
WASHINGTON – (Associated Press) - An elaborate FBI ruse to shut off the Internet in three luxury Las Vegas suites and then send undercover agents into the rooms to fix the problem was a legitimate law enforcement practice, an assistant U.S. attorney wrote in a court filing defending the practice.
Subpoena Fight Resolved Over FBI-Caesars Search in Phua Sports Betting Case
LAS VEGAS (Associated Press) — A federal judge in Nevada heard defense attorneys allege Thursday that the FBI improperly enlisted Caesars Palace officials to obtain a crucial search warrant before arresting eight men now charged with setting up an international Internet gambling hub at the Las Vegas Strip resort.
Thomas Vanek Reportedly Target of Extortion Attempt by Local Gambling Ring
Reports surfaced this week that National Hockey League star Thomas Vanek may have been the subject of an extortion attempt by a local gambling syndicate.
NetWest Bank Manager Who Used Pensioners Funds to Play Online Poker Sentenced
A Natwest manager who skimmed £185,000 from pensioners' funds to help fuel his online poker addiction has been sentenced to 15 months prison time.
Glenn Mason managed a bank branch in Kent for many years before the improprieties were uncovered.
Van der Sloot Stabbed in Lima Prison, Seriously Injured
Convicted killer Joran van der Sloot has reportedly been stabbed in a Lima, Peru prison and is seriously injured.
The 27-year-old Van der Sloot is serving a 28-year sentence for the murder of a local girl he met at a Lima casino in 2010. At the time, van der Sloot was attending the Latin American Poker Tour. He was previously a suspect in the 2005 disappearance of an Alabama High School graduate who had been vacationing in Aruba.
Bookmaker Pleads Guilty: Claims Gambling Debt Tied to NHL Team, Thomas Vanek
A Rochester, New York area bookmaker plead guilty Thursday to laundering $230,000 in monies derived from gambling, a debt his attorney claims was made with a New York Islanders NHL team check.
Shocking Reveal in Phua Gambling Case: Feds Impersonated Computer Repairmen
In a shocking revelation Wednesday, the New York Post reports that federal agents dressed as computer repairmen in order to gain access to computers used by the father-son tandem of poker players Wei Seng Phua (AKA Paul Phua) and Darren Wai Kit Phua. Both are accused of operating an elaborate World Cup betting ring from their high priced villas in Las Vegas back in July.
Mobster Skinny Joey Merlino Will Surrender to Feds After Meeting With ‘Bad Guys’
Retired mobster “Skinny” Joey Merlino, 52, is set to head back to prison, at least for a brief time.
Offshore Gambling Kingpin Captured Snorting Heroin at NJ Rest Stop
Reputed Genovese crime family member Vincent Coppola was arrested this past week as part of a roundup of individuals tied to what New Jersey authorities call an elaborate racketeering operation.
Joey Merlino, Ex-Mob Boss, Gets 4 Months For Meeting Friend
PHILADELPHIA (Associated Press) — A reputed former mob boss was ordered back to prison Friday for violating parole, and his lawyer complained that the FBI would pursue his client "to the grave."
Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, the reputed head of Philadelphia's La Cosa Nostra in the 1990s, must serve four additional months for failing to report a meeting with a former co-defendant at a Boca Raton, Florida, cigar bar.
Romanian Princess Gets Probation in Cockfighting Case
PORTLAND, Ore. — (Associated Press) - A Romanian princess was sentenced Wednesday to probation after apologizing for her role in an Oregon cockfighting enterprise that she said brought shame to her and her family.
Ex-Palms Sportsbook Employee Charged in Bet-Rigging Gets Probation
LAS VEGAS — (Associated Press) - A former Las Vegas casino worker was sentenced in federal court to probation and must pay restitution for his role in what authorities say was an $800,000 betting fraud scheme.
Matthew Kidle, 31, apologized before sentencing Monday by U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey in Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
11 Reputed Mobsters Arrested, Reaped Millions From Sports Betting, Loansharking
11 reputed mobsters from the New Jersey/New York area were arrested on Tuesday, charged with loansharking, sports gambling, unlicensed check-cashing and money laundering.
All but one of the individuals resided in New Jersey. The other was arrested in New York City. Each of the individuals is alleged to have connections to the Genovese crime family.
Breaking News: 11 Reputed Mobsters in New Jersey Arrested for Sports Betting, More
NEWARK, New Jersey — Eleven reputed members and associates of a major New York-based organized crime family are facing charges in New Jersey.
Acting state Attorney General John Hoffman will announce details of the arrests during a news conference in Newark Tuesday.
The attorney general's office alleges the suspects reaped millions of dollars through loansharking, sports gambling, unlicensed check-cashing and money laundering.
The news conference was taking place at 11:30 a.m.
Man Charged for Telling Casino Worker He was ‘Gambling to Avoid Ebola-Stricken Wife’
A 60-year-old Cleveland man has been charged for telling a Horseshoe Casino employee that he was there gambling to avoid his wife for whom he claimed had the deadly Ebola disease.
From the Cleveland Plains Dealer:
AZ Gubernatorial Candidate Doug Ducey Comes From Mob Family: Uncle Ran WWTS
We’re not sure exactly what if any impact being born into an alleged Mafia family might have but this is the latest headliner coming out of the Arizona gubernatorial race involving Republican Doug Ducey.
His connections may be more interesting to long time diehard readers of Gambling911.com than the actual voters in Arizona.
Online Bookie Will Serve 2 Years Prison Time for Role in ‘Project Amethyst’
The head of an online sports betting ring has been sentenced to 2 years prison time in Ottawa.
Benedetto Manasseri, 50, took in $842,000 between February and July 2012, court documents claim.
Man Sentenced to Death for Double Murder had Gambling Addiction
An Indian man who committed a 2012 double murder in the US will be sentenced to death by the Montgomery County Court in Pennsylvania.
The 28-year-old IT professional, Raghunandan Yandamuri, was convicted of killing his Satyavathi Venna, 61, and her 10-month-old granddaughter, Saanvi Venna, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Prosecutors claim the man plotted to kidnap the child for ransom to help pay for his gambling addiction.
Guilderland Murders: First Motivation Passion, Second Gambling
Authorities continue to investigate last week’s quadruple murder of a family in their Guilderland, New York residence, alluding to the idea Monday that illegal gambling could have been a motive.
Gambling May be at Center of Guilderland New York Quadruple Murder
Wednesday’s quadruple murder in Guilderland, New York may be tied to illegal gambling, authorities said this weekend.
7,162 Chinese Officials Punished for Gambling Offenses
7162 Chinese government officials from more than 30 cities have been punished for offenses stemming from illegal gambling activities since the middle of 2013. East China’s Zhejiang and Guangdong in the south have reported the most cases, according to the Shanghai Daily.
Mass Regulators See No Wrongdoing in Wynn Land Deal With Alleged Mobsters
BOSTON (Associated Press) — State gambling regulators say they see no wrongdoing by Wynn Resorts following last week’s arrests of three owners of land the company wants to develop into a casino.
The casino company ‘‘clearly’’ had no role in the wrongdoing, acting Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman James McHugh said Thursday following a briefing by the commission’s investigative staff and state police.
Michael Phelps Suspended From USA Swim Team After DUI, 8-Hour Gambling Spree
US gold-medalist swimmer Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps was suspended by the national team for 6 months following last week’s arrest for Driving Under the Influence (DUI).
The 18-time Olympic champion also lost six months of funding from the sport’s national governing body as a result of his second DUI. A previous arrest was made in 2004.
