Crime
Match Fixing Probe Finds ICC Chairman Son-In-Law Guilty
NEW DELHI — (Associated Press) - The son-in-law of Indian cricket board boss and ICC chairman-designate Narainswamy Srinivasan has been found guilty of passing on information to illegal bookmakers by a committee investigating match fixing in the Indian Premier League.
Man Arrested for Using Fake Poker Chips at Borgata Made $1 Mil From Pirated DVDs
A North Carolina man charged with using fake poker chips during this past month’s Borgata Winter Open has now been charged with copyright infringement.
Al-Qaida Poker Network Could Help Fund Several 9-11 Styled Attacks (Video)
Vegas casino billionaire and GOP donor Sheldon Adelson may have gone a bit overboard with his latest attack ad suggesting Internet gambling to be a national security threat.
One of the few gaming industry heads opposed to legalized Web gambling in the US, Adelson released his latest anti-online gambling ad on Monday.
Canadian Gambler Files to Bankruptcy to Avoid Paying $12.9 Mil Casino Debt
Canadian gambler and real estate tycoon Semion Kronenfeld has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US with hopes of avoiding the payment of a $12.9 million debt to MGM Grand and Venetian Hotels in Las Vegas.
The 43-year-old is facing decades in prison following a grand jury decision and an arrest warrant has since been issued.
The case against Kronenfeld has lingered on since 2008.
Miami Beach Police Make What Could be First Ever Bitcoin Vendor Arrests
Police in Miami Beach in conjunction with the U.S. Secret Service’s Miami Electronic Crimes Task have arrested two men moving a large amounts of cash in and out of the Bitcoin virtual currency. Experts believe this could be the first case that bitcoin vendors have been charged with a crime.
Johnny Depp Slated to Play Boston Mobster Whitey Bulger in Upcoming Film
Actor Johnny Depp will be playing notorious Boston mobster Whitey Bulger in a film currently titled “Black Mass”.
The film project will center around the rise and fall of Bulger including his arrest three years ago following years on the run and his ultimate conviction.
Man Who Claimed to Have $700k in Gambling Debts Ordered to Pay Back Wife $10 Mil
A Manhattan judge ordered a default judgment against Steven Lalicata for failing to respond to his wife’s $1 million suit against him.
Archie Karas Hearing on Tap: Accused of Cheated Casino With Card-Making Device
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Anargyros Karabourniotis, better known as Archie Karas, on February 27. He is accused with cheating a San Diego, California area casino through the use of an alleged card-making device. Karas has won and lost millions of dollars over the years.
Poker Legend Doyle Brunson Becomes a Victim of Identity Theft
Legendary poker pro Doyle Brunson, now 80, tweeted Wednesday that he was a victim of identity theft.
The following tweets were made by the Texas Dolly:
Attention banks, lending institutions, stores, etc. Some imposter is out there using my name. He has my social# and mycredit card#.#stopit
‘Cold Case’: Canadian Gambler Indicted for Stiffing Casinos Out of $12.9 Mil
A Canadian gamblers has been indicted by a grand jury for failing to pay back $7.9 million in markers to the Venetian resort and $5 million to the Green Valley Ranch resort, both in Las Vegas.
Real estate magnate Semion Kronenfeld faces 12 counts, including theft and obtaining money under false pretenses, for failing to pay the two casino establishments.
Kronenfeld was first charged in 2008, making this somewhat of a cold case.
Swedish Poker Player Falls From Roof in Macau: Homicide Investigation Underway
An unidentified Swedish poker player has fallen from a roof in the gambling mecca of Macau. Interpol police have begun conducting a homicide investigation.
Sports Betting Ring Taken Down in Rhode Island: 13 Arrested
Thirteen individuals were arrested as part of a crackdown on illegal sports betting in Northern Rhode Island Tuesday. All were arraigned in District Court Providence during the afternoon.
Former Philadelphia Mayor’s Daughter Spared in Mob Gambling Case
PHILADELPHIA - (Associated Press) — The daughter of a former Philadelphia mayor is likely to go free in the latest gambling prosecution of her husband, who admits running a global sports betting ring.
Joanna Mastronardo, daughter of the late Mayor Frank Rizzo, will have a banking charge dropped if other defendants plead guilty to racketeering and gambling charges.
Her husband, Joseph "Joe Vito" Mastronardo Sr., and son, Joseph F. "Joey" Mastronardo, pleaded guilty on Friday.
A federal judge said Tuesday that he will drop her case when they are sentenced.
Disgraced Poker Blogger ‘Who Jedi’ is Now ‘Where Jedi’: Pulls Blog
A poker reporter charged with stealing from dealer chip jars at the Mohegan Sun no longer has his blog up, Thomas Somach reports.
Mastronardo Brothers Cop Plea in Sports Gambling Case
PHILADELPHIA (Associated Press) — Two brothers have pleaded guilty in a gambling case that involves $1 million buried in the yard of the daughter of a former law-and-order mayor of Philadelphia.
Online Gambling Site Shut Down: Programmer Pleads Guilty
A local Roanoke, Virginia restaurant owner and programmer were charged with running an online sports betting site that was being served out of Costa Rica.
Russia Reportedly Protecting Mafia Figure Accused of Bribing Olympics Figures
With the Winter Olympics about to kick off in Sochi, Russia in just a matter of days, a dark shadow continues to hover over that nation, and we’re not referring to any terrorist threats or fear of reprisal against the LGBT community.
Pleas Set in “Buried Gambling Money” Case Tied to Offshore Betting
PHILADELPHIA (Associated Press) — Guilty pleas are unfolding in a gambling case that involves $1 million buried in the yard of the daughter of a former law-and-order mayor of Philadelphia.
British Poker Pro Nigel Goldman Vanishes Amidst Embezzlement Fears
Nigel Goldman, a British poker pro popular on the big name tournament circuit, has gone missing from his Costa Del Sol, Spain mansion.
It’s not just Goldman who has gone missing, however. Some by £2.5m in clients funds have also vanished.
The warning signs may have been there from the get-go.
Neteller customers Targeted in Phishing Scheme
Customers of the popular online wallet Neteller were targets of an apparent phishing scheme, it was revealed this week.
Numerous customers received emails over the weekend notifying them that their accounts would be closed if they did not provide pertinent personal details. Those emails turned out to be fake.
The email appeared as such:
Dear [e-mail address]
California Online Poker Bill Sponsor Sen. Rod Wright Convicted of Felony
The man most responsible for bringing the discussion of legalized online poker to the state of California has been convicted of perjury and voter fraud.
A Los Angeles jury on Tuesday convicted state Sen. Roderick D. Wright on all eight counts in his perjury and voter fraud trial.
Hearing on Bitcoin Turns Into Discussion Regarding Shortcomings of Banks
A Tuesday hearing about the anonymous digital currency bitcoin turned into a forum on the shortcomings of the traditional banking system.
Bitcoin Exec Charged With $1 Mil in Money Laundering Out on $1 Mil Bail
Charlie Shrem, CEO of one of the largest bitcoin exchanges BitInstant, was released on $1 million bond Tuesday for his alleged role in money laundering tied to the notorious Silk Road website.
Feds Drop Case Against Reputed Mob Boss Who Twice Beat Gambling Charges
PHILADELPHIA (Associated Press) — Federal prosecutors say they won't seek to retry a reputed Philadelphia mob boss who twice beat charges in a gambling and racketeering case.
Joseph Ligambi could have faced a third trial after jurors acquitted him last week of witness tampering while deadlocking on three other charges. But prosecutors filed a motion Monday seeking to dismiss the remaining counts. A judge still has to sign off.
Feds Say Paddy Power Rodman Sponsored North Korea Trip Violated Sanctions
The US Treasury Department contends that former NBA star Dennis Rodman’s recent visits to North Korea may have been in violation of sanctions against the so-called “Hermit Kingdom”.
Royal Flush: $2.7 Mil in Counterfeit Poker Chips Found Clogged in Borgata Pipe
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – (Associated Press) - A clogged pipe at an Atlantic City, N.J., casino has led to the discovery of $2.7 million in counterfeit poker chips that had been flushed down a toilet.
Authorities say a Fayetteville, N.C., man sneaked fake chips into a poker tournament at Atlantic City's Borgata casino, leading to the cancellation of one of its events last week.
Christian Lusardi was arrested Friday on charges including theft and rigging a public contest. It's unknown if he has a lawyer.
Gambling Addicted Former Morgan Stanley Banker Gets Life for Killing Wife
A former product controller at Morgan Stanley has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a UK court.
Manas Kapoor, 35, strangled his wife to death the same day he was to attend a disciplinary hearing after it was discovered he had gambled away millions of dollars belonging to the firm.
Kapoor admitted he was £8,000 in debt and was borrowing from friends and family to support his gambling addiction.
Justin Bieber to be Deported From US at 8-1 Odds
Good news for those of you living in the US, Irish bookmaker Paddy Power is offering odds on troubled 19-year-old pop star Justin Bieber of being deported back to Canada at 8-1 odds.
Man Sentenced to Five Months in Russian Mob-Tied High Stakes Poker Case
NEW YORK (Associated Press) — A federal judge in Manhattan has given prison to another defendant in a massive high-stakes poker games case.
Edwin Ting of New York City was charged in April 2013 along with 33 other alleged members and associates of two Russian-American organized crime enterprises.
Ting was sentenced Tuesday to five months in prison and ordered to forfeit $2 million.
Full Tilt Poker Claims Administrator Approves $82 Million in Funds to 30k Players
The claims administrator overseeing payment of Full Tilt Poker funds has approved release of $82m in funds to approx 30k players, the Poker Players Alliance reported late Wednesday.
The US Department of Justice placed the Garden City Group in charge of paying out those customers owed millions of dollars by Full Tilt Poker following a 2011 indictment. FTP exited the US market and failed to pay American players. They were eventually shut down several months later.
