Crime
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.
Gambling, Poker Addiction Causes Man to Rob Bank in His Underwear
73-year-old John A. Dougherty of Fort Pierce, Florida, has been jailed for robbing a local bank. He blames the act on his long time gambling addiction.
And Dougherty didn’t just rob the bank, he did the deed in his underwear, so to speak.
Dougherty wore black briefs over his head to conceal his identity.
Reuters: 'Courtsiders' Court Controversy at Australian Open Tied to ‘Betting’ Arrest
(Reuters) - It's the climax of a grand slam singles match and everyone in the crowd is on their feet clapping and cheering - with the exception of one man who remains firmly rooted to his chair.
His interest in the score is as intense as the other spectators but his priority is to transmit the result of each point to someone often several thousand miles away via an electronic device in his pocket.
Daily Beast: Cantor Gaming CEO Lee Amaitis 'Bromance' With Billy Walters Lead to Probe
Following news last week that CG Technology, formerly Cantor Gaming, having settled with the Nevada Gaming Control Board for $5.5 million following an 18-page complaint lodged against that company, the Daily Beast speculated as to why CEO Lee Amaitis remains at the helm.
PokerStars, Bodog May Be Given Green Light by Feds to Accept US Customers
In a shocking new development, the website CalvinAyre.com is reporting that the US Department of Justice will begin to take on a new approach in dealing with those online gambling operators who once took bets from US citizens. The feds are reportedly now accepting corporate pleas and fines to resolve all outstanding charges.
‘Money Talks’ Renewed by CNBC Despite Controversy: Eight New Episodes
Ratings were apparently good enough to keep “Money Talks” in the CNBC Prime lineup with eight new episodes ordered and a Season 2 premier date of March 19 scheduled.
Judge Reschedules Trial for Those Running Illegal Gambling Operation
Jackson, Miss. (Associated Press) - A federal judge has rescheduled the trial for eight people indicted on charges of running illegal gambling operations in east Mississippi.
The defendants in the case had asked for a continuance, which was granted on Friday. The trial is now scheduled in U.S. District Court in Jackson in May.
Federal prosecutors said illegal gambling was taking place in Meridian at The Snack Shack, The Sports Connection, commonly referred to as "the Log Cabin," and The New Place.
Borgata Cancels Winter Poker Open Event Due to Fake Chips
New Jersey state gaming regulators found that one or more entrants participating in a $2 Million Guaranteed Borgata Winter Poker Open event used a significant number of counterfeit chips.
The Borgata Winter Poker Open is among the most highly anticipated tournaments on US soil.
No charges have been filed in the case.
Oklahoma Bookie Gets 27 Month Prison for Illegal Sports Betting, Poker Business
OKLAHOMA CITY—On Friday January 17, 2014, Teddy Dryden Mitchell, 59, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced by United States District Judge David L. Russell to serve 27 months in federal prison for running an illegal gambling operation, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
Poker Blogger, Photographer Used Chopsticks to Steal Dealer Tips at Casino
MASHANTUCKET, Conn. – (Associated Press) - A poker blogger has been sentenced to a probation program for stealing nearly $700 in dealers’ tips by pulling the cash out of a locked box with chopsticks.
Forty-one-year-old Jay Newnum of Fishers, Ind., has returned the money and announced in a blog post that he plans to “step away from the poker world indefinitely.”
Judge: Alabama AG Office Can’t Keep Confiscated Gambling Machines, Cash
(Associated Press) - A judge says the Alabama attorney general's office can't keep nearly $94,000 in cash and 376 gambling machines seized in a raid of Greenetrack in 2011.
Circuit Judge Houston Brown ruled Wednesday that the state waited too long to file correct paperwork seeking forfeiture of the cash and machines seized in the raid of the Greene County gambling business on June 1, 2011.
The judge said the state's 13-week delay made the forfeiture complaint ineffective.
