Charges For Other Defendants in Online Gambling Bust Released

Along with Carruthers, CEO of BetonSports.com, other defendants in the racketeering conspiracy include: owner Gary Kaplan's siblings, Neil Scott Kaplan and Lori Kaplan Multz; Norman Steinberg; Peter Wilson, media director for BETonSPORTS.com; and Tim Brown, Steinberg's son-in-law.

According to the indictment, BETonSPORTS.com, based in Costa Rica, misleadingly advertised itself as the "World's Largest Legal and Licensed Sportsbook." The indictment also alleges that Kaplan failed to pay federal wagering excise taxes on more than $3.3 billion dollars in wagers taken from the United States, and seeks forfeiture of $4.5 billion from Kaplan and his co-defendants, as well as various properties.

The three other charged companies, all Florida-based, were Direct Mail Expertise Inc., DME Global Marketing and Fulfillment Inc., and Mobile Promotions Inc. Also charged are William Hernan Lenis, Monica Lenis and Manny Gustavo Lenis, owners and operators of the Florida companies, and William Hernan Lenis' son, William Luis Lenis.

The indictment alleges that Gary Kaplan and Norman Steinberg, as the owners and operators of Millennium Sportsbook, Gibraltar Sportsbook and North American Sports Association, took or caused their employees to take bets from undercover federal agents in St. Louis.

The indictment also alleges that Kaplan and Mobile Promotions illegally transported equipment used to place bets and transmit wagering information across state lines and that DME Global Marketing and Fulfillment shipped equipment to Costa Rica from Florida, for BETonSPORTS.com.

In conjunction with the indictment, the United States has filed a civil complaint in federal court to obtain a court order requiring BetonSports PLC to stop taking sports bets from the United States, and to return money held in wagering accounts to account holders in the United States. U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry, issued the temporary restraining order July 17. A hearing in the civil case has been requested within 10 days.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is issuing letters to four telephone companies, instructing them to stop providing phone services to the Internet sportsbooks and casinos operated by BetonSports PLC, the statement said.

July 19, 2006
Posted By Bob Hartman
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com    Previous Page | Internet Gambling | Top Online Casinos | Submit News!

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