PEOPLE NEWS
NEWS IN BRIEF
Fourth Black Friday indictee pleads guilty
Canadian Ryan Lang has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit tax fraud and violation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act by accepting funds in connection with online gambling, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Lang joins fellow payment processors Bradley Franzen and Ira Rubin, and former head of payments for Absolute Poker Brent Beckley to have so far pleaded guilty, while Chad Ellie and John Campos requested to have their cases presented before a jury and are expected to stand trial in April in the Southern District of New York.
CALVIN AYRE INDICTED
Baltimore authorities open indictment against Bodog founder.
Federal prosecutors in Baltimore have indicted Bodog founder Calvin Ayre and three other individuals connected to the company just hours after the US authorities seized the company’s dot.com domain. A federal grand jury has indicted parent company Bodog Entertainment Group S.A., and four individuals, for conducting an illegal sports betting business and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment was announced by US Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein, Special Agent in Charge William Winter of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric C. Hyton of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. that underlie gambling prohibitions are exacerbated when the enterprises operate over the internet without regulation.” The indictment alleges that the defendants conducted an illegal gambling business from at least 9 June 2005 to 6 January 2012, moving funds from Bodog accounts based in Switzerland, England, Malta, Canada and elsewhere to pay players, media brokers and advertisers in the States. Prosecutors suggest that at least US$100m was sent by wire and cheque to gamblers located in Maryland and elsewhere.
Boylesports appoints CEO for online division
Boylesports has revealed it is to separate its retail and online operations as part of plans to ramp up investment in its digital offering. The decision signals the Irish bookmaker’s commitment to developing digital channels in an attempt to establish a foothold in new territories such as the Asian market. Keith O’Loughlin, who joined Boylesports as head of online in 2011, has been given a new title as CEO of the Boylesports Online division.
Media Corp appoints interim CEO
Media Corporation has appointed Sara Vincent, the former head of its gaming business Purple Lounge, as interim group chief executive and director. Vincent joined Media Corp in 2001 and was responsible for the start-up and development of Casino. co.uk, which sold for £3.6m in 2007. She was subsequently commercial director of the group’s publishing division, managing sites including Sport. co.uk and Gambling.com, before taking on the CEO role at Purple Lounge.
It goes on to claim that in order to attract players to the Bodog.com site, the indictees used a media broker to run an advertising campaign, paying more than $42m in costs for advertising over the seven-year period. Agent Winter added: “The indictment of Bodog Entertainment Group S.A. and its founder and operators sends a strong deterrent message to those that facilitate illegal online sports betting operations and commit crimes against our nation’s ?nancial system. “The proceeds from illegal internet gambling are sometimes used to fuel organized crime and support criminal activity. ICE HSI, together with our law enforcement partners, will disrupt and dismantle organisations that commit these crimes, regardless of their location, whether here in the United States or abroad,” Winter added. An ex-Bodog employee is thought to have blown the whistle, with an affidavit claiming he told investigators that the company has hundreds of employees in Canada and Costa Rica handling the dayto-day business of taking bets, tracking The individuals named in the indictment sports events, site maintenance, customer are Ayre; business partner James Philip; service and marketing. Bodog.com is likely to be ?ned $500,000 David Ferguson and Derrick Maloney, with Rosenstein commenting: “Sports if it is charged with the offences. Should O federal betting is illegal in Maryland, andV E R A L Lthose accused be found guilty, they are USABILITY 21/ 25 law prohibits bookmakers from ?outing liable to face a ?ve-year prison term for ENGAGEMENT 24 / 25 running a gambling business, and up to 20 that law simply 25 DESIGN 22 / because they are located PLAYABILITY 24/25 outside the country. Many of the harms years in prison for money laundering.
The indictment of Bodog Entertainment Group S.A. and its founder and operators sends a strong deterrent message to those that facilitate illegal online sports betting operations
RANKING
www.egrmagazine.com
23