ARIZONA - Internet Gambling Ring Dismantled
Could this be CW??
Internet Gambling Ring Dismantled
Written by Imperial Valley News
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Phoenix, Arizona - A federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 21-count indictment against nine defendants in a multi-million dollar internet gambling ring. The indictment charges Daniel Meisel, 64, formerly of Paradise Valley; Christopher R. Finn, 37, of Scottsdale; Diane Beck, 52, of Scottsdale; Fred Guaragna, 58, of Scottsdale; Brad Smothermon, 49, of Cave Creek; Richard DiCapua, 68, of Scottsdale; Oscar Barden, aka Paul Barden, 36, of Scottsdale; James Baker, 41, of Peoria; and Blaine Moore, 38, of Phoenix, with conspiracy to engage in an illegal gambling business and the transmission of wagering information, engaging in an illegal gambling business, and transmission of wagering information. Meisel was also charged with transactional money laundering.
“Running an illegal gambling business is a crime,” said Dennis K. Burke, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “These defendants bet that they wouldn’t get caught. They lost.”
According to the indictment, Meisel was the head of an internet gambling ring that raked in millions of dollars since 2007. Meisel was the principal bookmaker who acted as the bank or house for the operation. He had a number of agents working under him who all had bettors that they serviced.
Defendant Finn acted both at the direction of Meisel and had his own sub-operation as part of the overall gambling ring.
The other defendants were all agents in the gambling operation, reporting to either Meisel or Finn.
The defendants used internet-based offshore sports books located in Costa Rica for making and tracking bets on sporting events. The defendants provided their bettors with a toll-free telephone number and a website. In order to place a wager on a sporting event, the bettor would call the number or access the website, then provide their account number and password. The defendants used a separate toll-free telephone number, or the website, to track their bettors’ activities and account balances. The Costa Rican sports books did not have an interest in the outcome of the wagers, but charged the illegal sports gambling operation a fee for managing each bettor’s account.
The defendants paid out or collected cash in person from each bettor whenever that bettor’s threshold amount was reached. Sometimes instead of cash the defendants would accept checks or valuables. At other times the defendants would direct bettors to deposit money into specified bank accounts to pay gambling debts.
Convictions for conspiracy and engaging in an illegal gambling business each carries a maximum penalty of five years. A conviction for transmission of wagering information carries a maximum of two years for each count. A conviction for transactional money laundering carries a maximum penalty of ten years for each count. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000. In determining an actual sentence, the judge will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
An indictment is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Scottsdale Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. The prosecution is being handled by Peter Sexton, Paul Bullis and James Morse, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
Internet Gambling Ring Dismantled
Written by Imperial Valley News
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Phoenix, Arizona - A federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 21-count indictment against nine defendants in a multi-million dollar internet gambling ring. The indictment charges Daniel Meisel, 64, formerly of Paradise Valley; Christopher R. Finn, 37, of Scottsdale; Diane Beck, 52, of Scottsdale; Fred Guaragna, 58, of Scottsdale; Brad Smothermon, 49, of Cave Creek; Richard DiCapua, 68, of Scottsdale; Oscar Barden, aka Paul Barden, 36, of Scottsdale; James Baker, 41, of Peoria; and Blaine Moore, 38, of Phoenix, with conspiracy to engage in an illegal gambling business and the transmission of wagering information, engaging in an illegal gambling business, and transmission of wagering information. Meisel was also charged with transactional money laundering.
“Running an illegal gambling business is a crime,” said Dennis K. Burke, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “These defendants bet that they wouldn’t get caught. They lost.”
According to the indictment, Meisel was the head of an internet gambling ring that raked in millions of dollars since 2007. Meisel was the principal bookmaker who acted as the bank or house for the operation. He had a number of agents working under him who all had bettors that they serviced.
Defendant Finn acted both at the direction of Meisel and had his own sub-operation as part of the overall gambling ring.
The other defendants were all agents in the gambling operation, reporting to either Meisel or Finn.
The defendants used internet-based offshore sports books located in Costa Rica for making and tracking bets on sporting events. The defendants provided their bettors with a toll-free telephone number and a website. In order to place a wager on a sporting event, the bettor would call the number or access the website, then provide their account number and password. The defendants used a separate toll-free telephone number, or the website, to track their bettors’ activities and account balances. The Costa Rican sports books did not have an interest in the outcome of the wagers, but charged the illegal sports gambling operation a fee for managing each bettor’s account.
The defendants paid out or collected cash in person from each bettor whenever that bettor’s threshold amount was reached. Sometimes instead of cash the defendants would accept checks or valuables. At other times the defendants would direct bettors to deposit money into specified bank accounts to pay gambling debts.
Convictions for conspiracy and engaging in an illegal gambling business each carries a maximum penalty of five years. A conviction for transmission of wagering information carries a maximum of two years for each count. A conviction for transactional money laundering carries a maximum penalty of ten years for each count. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000. In determining an actual sentence, the judge will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
An indictment is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Scottsdale Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. The prosecution is being handled by Peter Sexton, Paul Bullis and James Morse, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
