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(Associated Press) - A Florida sports betting consultant pleaded not guilty Monday to allegations that he threatened a Wisconsin customer into giving him more than $25 million.
Adam Meyer, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., appeared with his attorney in U.S. District Court in Milwaukee. Meyer's trial was set for March 16, and a judge continued his $1 million signature bond.
Meyer was indicted on fraud, extortion and gun charges. According to the indictment, Meyer runs Real Money Sports and advises customers on professional and college teams to bet on, selling picks for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The indictment alleges that:
After a Wisconsin customer reduced his gambling, Meyer told him they were both in danger over a gambling debt that a bookie thought they shared. Prosecutors allege Meyer would call the customer posing as "Kent Wong" and threatened to hurt his family if he didn't pay.
The customer stopped paying in early 2012. Meyer and an unidentified associate flew from Florida to Fond du Lac to meet the customer that April, the associate brandishing a gun and demanding the customer send Meyer more money. The customer sent Meyer an additional $9.8 million, the indictment said.
In all, Meyer and his agents obtained more than $25 million from the customer between January 2009 and February 2012, according to the indictment.
A spokesman for U.S. Attorney James Santelle in Milwaukee said the case is an active investigation and declined to comment.
"We will be vigorously defending the case," defense attorney Joel Hirschhorn said.
