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As reported earlier this month by Gambling911.com, Denver area bookies and agents alike may be looking over their shoulder this football season….Worse still, they could be fearing that dreaded early AM knock on their door.
That’s because one of the state’s largest bookmaking operations has been taken down and the client’s list reportedly reads like a “Who’s Who of Denver’s Elite”.
The list in question is currently under seal, however, the alleged ring leader Kerwin Sande has now plead guilty to money laundering and running the illegal gambling operation and now that client list could be revealed.
The gambling ring solicited bets in more than a half-dozen exclusive country clubs using accomplices and an off-shore website to take bets and keep a low profile, all while millions of dollars were on the table every week, CBS Denver reports. The owners of a popular Denver sports bar are also reportedly listed as clients.
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In a single weekend Sande's business reportedly brought in $4 million to $7 million in wagers.
One source told the FBI they had lost $2 million to $5 million in bets in three years and owed nearly $1 million to Sande in gambling debts.
As part of the plea agreement, the government will keep approximately $2.5 million in assets as well as a home seized from Sande but will return $500,000 it says was obtained through legitimate means.
While Sande will be sentenced in November, the investigation remains open with the possibility of other bookies, agents and middlemen being charged.
Placing a wager on a sporting event in the state is considered a petty offense, however, so actual gamblers are less likely to feel the whole sting of law enforcement's efforts. Arkansas is the only other state in the union that makes sports betting a petty offense as opposed to a misdemeanor.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
