Crime

Chinese Mining, Gambling Tycoon Charged With Murder Goes on Trial

A former Chinese mining tycoon who started his career by running gambling centers in Guanghan is set to stand trial in the murder of nine individuals.  His brother and 34 associates of their “mafia-style” gang were also charged in February.

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, Apr/02/2014

Former Legends Sportsbook Employee Deported Back to Panama

A high level former employee of the now defunct Legends Sportsbook will be deported back to Panama after serving nearly a year in home confinement in the USA.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Apr/01/2014

Man Tied to Murders at Detroit Barber Shop, Gambling Den Charged With Assault

A man linked to the shooting deaths of three individuals at a Detroit barbershop that doubled as an illegal gambling den has been charged with assault.

A federal court jury on Monday convicted Larry Walker II of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer for trying to ram an unmarked police car in the hours following the November incident.

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, Apr/01/2014

Senator Engaged in Automatic Weapons Sale Deal While Preaching Gun Control

A California state Senator indicted last week for his alleged role in a money laundering and gambling scheme, attempted to broker an international arms deal with a US Federal agent all the while pushing gun control in the state.

The FederalBureau of Investigation arrested Yee last Wednesday morning, along with infamous Chinatown gang leader Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow and 24 other individuals.

Perhaps empowered by the series of successful multi-thousand-dollar transactions, Yee upped the ante — and in the process dug himself a far deeper hole with the FBI.

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Mar/31/2014

Arrests Made in Borgata Credit Card Fraud Scheme

Two individuals have been apprehended following an investigation into a credit card fraud scheme at Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel and Casino.

The New Jersey pair allegedly attempted to fraudulently charge more than $500,000 using stolen account numbers, were arrested early Saturday, March 29, at the Borgata Casino, in Atlantic City.

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Mar/31/2014

Police: Graham, Chaffetz Online Gambling Bill Would Lead to Increase in Crime

Last week, South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Utah Republican representative Jason Chaffetz introduced the Restoration of America’s Wire Act, which seeks to strengthen current federal online gambling prohibition.  The legislation also would prevent individual states from legalizing the activity, including those like Nevada and New Jersey that already offer real money Web gambling.

Submitted by Nagesh Rath on, Mar/31/2014

Ravens Ray Rice Marries Fiancee One Day After Indictment for Beating Her

ESPN was reporting Saturday that Ravens running back Ray Rice has married his fiancée a day after being indicted for beating her in an Atlantic City casino.

Submitted by Don Shapiro on, Mar/29/2014

UB.com Head Rubbed Magazine Cologne Strips on Body to ‘Smell Less Like Prison’

Convicted UB.com founder Brent Beckley relayed to Montana Kaimin how he got involved in UB.com/Absolute Poker and ultimately served a prison sentence as a result.

Submitted by Nagesh Rath on, Mar/27/2014

Ndrangheta Mafia has More Money Than McDonalds and Deutsche Bank Combined

A report by the Demoskopika research institute in Rome has determined that Italy’s notorious Ndrangheta organized crime family has amassed wealth that tops that of fast food giant McDonald’s and Deutsche bank put together.

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Mar/27/2014

Ravens Rice Indicted for Assault on Fiancee at Revel Casino

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — (Associated Press) - Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice has been indicted on a charge he assaulted his fiancee in an elevator at casino in Atlantic City, N.J.

Submitted by Associated Press on, Mar/27/2014

California State Senator Charged as Part of Gambling, Murder-for-Hire Case

26 individuals have been indicted in an unsealed criminal complaint in San Francisco with charges that range from drug trafficking to gun running to illegal gambling to even murder-for-hire.

Among those arrested, California state Senator Leland Yee.

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Mar/27/2014

FBI Raids Net Raymond ‘Shrimp Boy’ Chow: Collected Gambling Debts for Triad

A series of FBI raids in both the San Francisco and Sacramento areas resulted in the arrest of Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow, a former member of a Chinatown street gang and latest member of a Hong Kong-based triad allegedly tied to Hong Kong and San Francisco-based gambling dens. 

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, Mar/26/2014

Pope Tells Italian Mafia to Stop Evil or Prepare for Hell

(Reuters) - Pope Francis, in an annual ceremony held to remember the hundreds of innocent people murdered by the Italian mafia, made a solemn plea for mobsters to change or else "end up in hell".

The mafia continues to plague much of southern Italy: just on Monday, a four-year-old boy was shot dead, along with his mother and her boyfriend, near the southern city of Taranto in a suspected mob hit.

Submitted by Reuters on, Mar/21/2014

Pope Francis Shuns Mafia Dons: Holds Vigil for Victims

Pope Francis held a vigil for victims of organized crime in Italy on Friday. 

Thousands of people in Italy have lost loved one’s at the hands of the Italian Mafia, according to reports.  A toddler and his parents became the latest vicim of Mob violence just hours after Pope Francis announced his visit on Monday.

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Mar/21/2014

Sicilian Mafia Boss Dissolved in Acid: Three Men Arrested

Three men this week were arrested for the 2002 murder of Sicilian Mob boss Andrea Cottone. 

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Mar/20/2014

Paddy Power Pistorius ‘Will He Walk’ Bet Ad Most Complained About Ad Ever

The UK Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) has said that Irish bookmaker Paddy Power’s Oscar Pistorius murder trial 'Money Off If He Walks' ad was the single most complained-about advertisement ever recorded.

Paddy Power was forced to pull the ad after the ASA issued it a dire warning.

The ASA in its findings released Wednesday said: "We acknowledged that the ad had appeared in the context of a high profile murder trial that had received extensive media coverage and was of interest to the public.

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Mar/19/2014

Taj Mahal Killer Confesses to Two More Atlantic City Murders

Raheem Simmons, 20, pleaded guilty Tuesday (March 18, 2014) to two counts of aggravated manslaughter for the 2011 shooting deaths of Antwan Brown and Travon Kinard in Atlantic City.  Both victims were 20 years old at the time of they were killed.  All three resided in Camden, New Jersey.

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, Mar/18/2014

Pope Francis Plays Down Mafia ‘Hit’ Fears: Toddler Latest Victim of Italy Mob

The Vatican announced this week that Pope Francis was set to visit with victims of Italy’s Cosa Nostra. 

“For the families of innocent victims, this meeting with the Pope is a gift,” Fr. Luigi Ciotti expressed in a March 15 article on Vatican Radio.

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, Mar/18/2014

PartyPoker Founder Sued by Chevron Over Alleged Fraud

A judge in Gibraltar has that oil giant Chevron can move forward with a lawsuit seeking unspecified damages from PartyPoker (now Bwin.Party) co-founder Russell DeLeon in connection with his financing what the oil company says was a liability suit that ultimately turned into a racketeering conspiracy.

Submitted by Ace King on, Mar/18/2014

BetOnSports Founder Gary Kaplan Assessed $36.5 Mil Tax Bill

BetOnSports founder Gary Kaplan will have to pay $36.5 million to the IRS after losing an appeal.

Kaplan’s attorneys initially argued double jeopardy as he was already ordered to pay the US government $44 million after having served a 51-month prison sentence.

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, Mar/17/2014

Ifrah Law Wins Dismissal in PokerStars Class Action

Ruling for defendants in plaintiff-friendly jurisdiction likely spells end of class action

Submitted by Press Release on, Mar/17/2014

Billionaire Macau Real Estate Developer Joseph Lau Found Guilty of Bribery

(Reuters) - Real estate developer Chinese Estates Holdings said on Sunday its Chairman and Chief Executive Joseph Lau has resigned after he was found guilty of bribery and money laundering charges in Macau.

Submitted by Reuters on, Mar/16/2014

X-Rays Obtained in Alleged Floyd Mayweather Vegas Assault

TMZ.com has obtained the x-rays of two men who claim to have been assaulted by boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr.’s crew.

BetOnline

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Mar/15/2014

Mandalay Bay Will Pay Half-Million Dollars After Drug, Prostitute Bust

LAS VEGAS (Associated Press) - The Mandalay Bay Resort plans to pay a half-million-dollar fine after employees at an upscale Las Vegas Strip lounge provided prostitutes and drugs to undercover officers.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board filed a proposed settlement with the casino this week. It’s awaiting approval by the Nevada Gaming Commission.

Submitted by Associated Press on, Mar/13/2014

Bayern Munich President Uli Hoeness Sentenced to 3.5 Years Prison for Tax Fraud

Bayern Munich President Uli Hoeness was sentenced Thursday to 3.5 years behind bars by a German court for tax evasion. 

"In the name of the people, Mr Ulrich Hoeness is sentenced for seven serious counts of tax evasion to a prison term of three years and six months," Judge Rupert Heindl told the Munich courtroom.

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, Mar/13/2014

Bayern Munich President Evaded $18.5 Mil in Taxes: Used Money for Gambling

(Reuters) - Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness stunned a German court on Monday by admitting he had evaded taxes of 18.5 million euros ($26 million) using a secret Swiss bank account - more than five times the amount on a prosecutors' charge sheet.

Once one of Germany’s most admired managers, Hoeness apologised and appealed for leniency at the start of a trial in a case that shocked Germany and prompted other tax dodgers to turn themselves in.

Submitted by Reuters on, Mar/12/2014

‘Mob Wives’ Star Ex-Hubby Testifies Against Gambino Associate in Murder Trial

The ex-hubby of “Mob Wives” reality star Renee Graziano took to the stand Tuesday to testify against former buddy and Gambino mob associate Luigi Grasso.  

Admitted killer Hector Pagan says he pulled the trigger and killed Luchese associate James Donovan outside a Gravesend body shop in 2010.  But Pagan knew enough about Graziano that he agreed to become a Mob turncoat in return for a reduced sentence.

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Mar/11/2014

Van der Sloot to be Extradited to US in 2038: Killed Woman During Poker Tour

A citizen of Aruba who killed a young Peruvian woman while attending the Latin American Poker Tour in 2010 will be extradited to the US in 2038.

Submitted by Ace King on, Mar/11/2014

Lead Investigator Into Pete Rose Still Believes He Should Not be in Hall of Fame

The lead investigator in the 1989 Pete Rose Major League Baseball gambling matter tells the Washington Post he still believes Rose does not deserve to be entered into Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

BetOnline

John M. Dowd led the investigation, later dubbed the “Dowd Report”.

Submitted by Don Shapiro on, Mar/10/2014

Sands Casino Guest Credit Card Information Hacked Into

If you have stayed at the Sands Bethlehem Casino or any of the other Sands Las Vegas affiliated casinos, including the Venetian, you may want to double check your credit card bill.  It turns out that customer credit cards have been compromised as part of a hacking that took down all of Sands site an entire week last month.

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Mar/07/2014

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