A brief look at crime 12/7 – 12/13

Teen shot dead at gambling den, cousin wounded

A teenager was killed and his cousin wounded when gunmen opened fire with what is believed to be a semi-automatic weapon at an illegal gambling den at Mt St George, near Scarborough, at about midnight on Monday. Dead is 18-year-old Jude “Stooky” Alleyne, of Mt St George, who succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards at the Scarborough Hospital.

Southport mum speaks after suicide of her successful banker son

THE shell-shocked mother of a high-flying banker who hung himself after being sucked into the dangerous world of gambling, debt and drugs has spoken out to say: “Don’t let this happen to your child”.  Tragic James Paget, 28, killed himself after racking up £60,000 worth of credit card bills and loan charges to fund a secret gambling habit and cocaine addiction that not even his girlfriend or family knew about.

Stunned mum Barbara, of Ainsdale, thought her intelligent son – a senior banking manager at Lloyds TSB – had long overcome a university addiction that saw him spend thousands on internet poker and powerful drugs.  But in his high-earning bank job, the former Ainsdale Hope and KGV student spiralled back into trouble after accessing loans and high-value credit cards with surprising ease.

Southern Mo. man who placed illegal gambling machines at businesses sentenced to probation

A southern Missouri man who placed illegal gambling machines at several businesses in the region has been sentenced to three years’ probation.  The U.S. Attorney’s office said 63-year-old Morris Guy Ramseur, of West Plains, must also pay the balance of a $200,000 forfeiture representing his proceeds from the operation. Ramseur was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court. He pleaded guilty in May to running the illegal operations from 1997 to January 2005. Prosecutors said Ramseur arranged with owners of convenience stores, bars and other businesses to let him install video slot poker machines and other devices. He then split the net proceeds with the business owners.

Five jailed in Shanxi for kidnapping teens

Five people, who are convicted of kidnapping and illegal gambling have been sentenced to jail terms ranging from two to eight years by a court in northern Shanxi Province. The verdict said Liu Jifeng, Ma Qingfeng and their complice lured or abducted teenagers to Myanmar, forcing them to gamble in casinos between July and October 2008. The kidnappers then held the young people, demanding ransoms of tens of thousands yuan from their family.

Duo pleads to embezzling $13M from Gretna company

A Louisiana woman and a Kentucky man have pleaded guilty to embezzling nearly $13 million from a Gretna oil company. The U.S. attorney’s office in New Orleans says White and Kinney stole checks and money from John W. Stone Oil Distributor LLC. in Gretna between 1995 and 2007. Prosecutors say White reviewed payments at Stone Oil, a midstream and dock-fueling business, and Kinney was her sister’s boyfriend.  Authorities allege the stolen funds were used to pay personal expenses, gambling and to fund a racing company.

Problem Gambling Experts Say Sports Betting a Teen Crisis

An expert on problem gambling among youth says sports betting is an epidemic among high school students. Wagering on sports is seen as a gateway introduction for teens to other forms of gambling. “The average I find is a high school with a population of 1,000 has two [student-bookmakers],” Elman told NorthJersey.com. Elman says the sportsbook is often passed down from class to class as students work their way through the schools.

Elman says parents are often unaware of the gambling until children steal from them to pay betting debts. “They end up using the credit card, or they take something from the house and sell it,” the counselor advises. Police say they have neither the time nor resources to investigate without complaints, and that the schools are handling the problem. But Elman, who does not involve legal authorities to avoid scaring off teens in need of help, says that compulsive gambling unattended can wreck lives before parents are aware of the danger.

Sports betting magnate James Giordano goes to jail

Last Wednesday, a former bookmaker named James Giordano pleaded guilty to promoting gambling in New York. The 55-year-old Pinecrest resident was indicted in 2006 for running a sports betting website in the Caribbean that took millions of dollars in bets from dozens of U.S.-based bookies and gamblers.  It was all part of an epic battle over the legality of Internet gambling.

Giordano — who spoke at length for the first time about his life — began his gambling career at a New York-area grocery store, where he watched a produce manager take bets from employees and then hand off the cash to a small Italian fellow. He remembers taking the produce manager aside. “I told him: ‘You gather bets… it seems to me if you eliminate the phone call, you can keep the money.’”  Soon he began his own little bookmaking operation, first with the produce manager and later on his own.

For more information on the dangers of gambling, please visit CASINO WATCH, & CASINO WATCH FOUNDATION

A brief look at crime 11/30 – 12/06

Churchyard murder accused ‘killed friend for gambling winnings’

A HALESOWEN man brutally battered a close friend to death in a town centre churchyard and stole his £1,000 gambling winnings – a court heard this week.  Father of three Paul Hadley suffered “colossal” head injuries in the attack in which he was repeatedly beaten with a metal object leaving his skull “fractured and fragmented.”  Richard Latham QC prosecuting told Wolverhampton Crown Court Mr Hadley, a carer for a blind and deaf man and a known gambler and drinker, had earlier been “flashing” his winnings.

Chinese mob bosses sentenced to death in crackdown

Two mob bosses – nicknamed the “Hammerhead” and “Spicy Qin” – have been sentenced to death for murder and illegally running a business empire involving underground casinos, cement factories and poultry markets in southern China, a court official and local media said Friday.

The long-awaited verdict, which was 60,000 pages long, is the latest development in a sweeping crackdown on organized crime in China. High-profile trials in other parts of the country have exposed powerful criminal networks, often involving collusion between gangsters and officials.

Pali killer gets life sentence

Ethan “Malu” Motta was sentenced yesterday to life in federal prison without parole, almost six years after he and two others murdered two men and critically injured a third in a violent underworld dispute over control of illegal gambling games in the Islands. Mollway said Motta committed “horrible crimes” and held “a very high position in the criminal underworld hierarchy.”  Motta was convicted of two charges of committing murder in support of criminal racketeering — punishable by a mandatory sentence of life without parole.

Killings in England May Relate to Soccer Betting Ring

For over a year now, the murders of Zhen Xing Yang and his girlfriend Xi Zhou continue to be a mystery, though the alleged murderer has since been taken into custody.  Police said Mr Zhen,25, was “assaulted for more than an hour” before being stabbed. They believe passers-by may have heard his screams.  A post-mortem examination revealed he suffered extensive bruising to his arms before he died.  Examinations also showed Miss Xi may have been asphyxiated as well as stabbed during the attack.

All of this, investigators now believe, points to a soccer betting ring.  According to the New York Times, Detectives unearthed evidence that the victims were both involved with an Asian gambling ring that was relying on advance tips to bet on English soccer matches.

Mark Lowery bankrolled gambling with theft from Walker lads

MONEY-grabbing Mark Lowery is today exposed as a charity rat who stole from a lads’ football team to bankroll his gambling habit.  Lowery was a coach at Newcastle’s Walker Central FC, where he volunteered and helped train the budding young footballers.  He was so trusted that club officials allowed him to collect subscription fees, and it was these he blew on gambling – stealing £1,387 between June and last month.  The 29-year-old even stole from a charity scheme run by the club, for which families would bring in old clothes to be passed on to a worthy cause for cash.

Jailed China mafia trial judge kills self: report

A former director at Chongqing’s high court, Wu had been charged with accepting 3.5 million yuan (512,700 dollars) in bribes and being unable to explain the source of 5.2 million yuan in his possession, the report said. The officials are charged with accepting large sums of money to protect organised crime and illegal gambling rackets.

A former senior judge awaiting trial in a massive organised crime crackdown in southwest China hung himself in jail using the drawstring of his underwear, state media said Monday.  Wu Xiaoqing, 57, was found hanging from his detention cell doorway in Chongqing city on Saturday afternoon and pronounced dead several hours later after being rushed to hospital, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Gambler milked his girlfriend’s life savings

A COMPULSIVE gambler who plundered his girlfriend’s life savings to pay for his addiction has been jailed.  Exeter Crown Court heard over the space of five months, 31-year-old Matthew Parker dipped into Melanie Jordan’s Royal Bank of Scotland account more than 145 times and took almost £14,000.  He then blew the cash in casinos, always hoping for the big win which would allow him to repay the money before he was found out.  But that never happened.

For more information on the dangers of gambling, please visit CASINO WATCH, & CASINO WATCH FOUNDATION

A brief look at crime 9/21 to 9/27/09

Police officer suspended after being allegedly being caught in gambling raid

A Shepherdsville police officer has been suspended after Hillview police say they caught him in a raid on an illegal gambling operation. They say a fake glass business was a front for gambling and that they found a makeshift casino inside.

Raid on cyber café in Ocala

Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies have raided a business in Ocala believed to have conducted illegal gambling activities.  According to investigators, Internet Express Cafe was earning between $1,200 and $2,600 a day by operating the gambling house.

Two Georgia Men Charged In Atlantic City Casino Heists

Richard Newman of Lawrenceville, Georgia, and Gustavo Acuna of Gainesville, Georgia, were both arrested and are being held on $150,000 bail each after police caught the men. They are accused of pulling off a heist at three separate AC casinos.   Newman and Acuna were charged with unlawful taking, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a weapon, and money laundering.

Former banker pleads guilty to robbing banks

A former banker who eluded police for six years during a holdup spree in Toronto and southern Ontario pleaded guilty today to 10 counts of bank robbery.  Sentencing was postponed for a judge to consider submissions about Kevin John Pinto’s motive — financing his compulsive gambling “addiction,” defense lawyer Calvin Barry told court.  Suspected of pulling 26 heists ranging from $300 to $9,600, Pinto was nicknamed “the Exchange Bandit” by police for his habit of talking first with tellers about exchanging currency before robbing them.

Mariner booster confesses to stealing $46,000

Mariner High School’s Blue and Gold Club is scrambling to regroup after the nonprofit’s longtime treasurer confessed to embezzlement.  The treasurer told booster club president Renee Boyd that she had stolen about $46,000 over the past eight years, mainly to feed a gambling habit.  Students were left reeling in the wake, unsure of how they would pay for such extracurricular necessities as shoes and pads for various sports, transportation to competitions, activities for students in special education and, in the case of the French Club, an eagerly anticipated trip to Paris in the spring.   The Blue and Gold Club is the umbrella organization for many such fundraisers.

Students have individual accounts and work various jobs such as at local restaurants, and at Mariner and Seahawk games, as well as selling merchandise for fundraisers and helping run the concession stands at Marauder home games.   They don’t immediately see any of the fruits of their labor; instead the money is paid directly into their individual Blue and Gold Club account.   Now, many kids are discovering empty bank accounts, wondering how they’re going to fund the activities they’ve worked so hard to be a part of this year.   “Everyone is shocked and saddened,” Mukilteo School Board president and frequent Mariner volunteer Judy Schwab said.   “This is such a loss for those kids and parents – the kids have worked so hard, parents and kids alike have, to earn that money.”

Ex-Penrod treasurer charged with theft, forgery

A former treasurer accused of stealing nearly $382,000 from the Penrod Society may have blown the money on a gambling addiction, according to court documents filed Thursday.  Marion County prosecutors charged Brandon Benker, 28, with one count of theft and seven counts of forgery, all Class C felonies.

Former MHA admits to fraud, bribery

As an NDP MHA for eight years, Randy Collins advocated for the province’s poor and powerless, but on Tuesday he pleaded guilty to stealing from those same people, and bribing a public official to do so.  Collins overspent hundreds of thousands of dollars from his taxpayer-funded constituency allowance. The final tab came in at $358,598.

Ironically, Collins’ crimes appear to have helped support a social ill he crusaded strenuously against as an MHA. Tuesday, Collins pleaded guilty to bribing Murray, the top financial official at the legislature.  Murray told the Jim Walsh corruption trial he needed money to feed a $500-a-day VLT gambling habit.

For more information on the dangers of gambling, please visit CASINO WATCH, & CASINO WATCH FOUNDATION

UPDATE: Large Opposition to possible new Missouri casino at local planning meeting

Casino Watch Focus reported that a meeting was being held by the St Louis Planning Commission regarding a possible new casino in North St Louis.  Now, The St Louis Post Dispatch is reporting the results of the meeting and feelings of the community – and it wasn’t very positive for the casinos:

Opponents turned out at the hearing in large numbers to voice concerns about North County Development’s plans for a casino…Dora Gianoulakis, president of the Spanish Lake Community Association and an opposition leader, called the umbrella of individuals and groups allied against the developers “an interesting mixture of people.”

That mixture has brought together disparate worldviews. Conservative Christians have found themselves standing alongside environmentalists, for instance. And anti-gambling Christians may link up with the last group they’d ever expected to agree with — owners of the six other casinos in the St. Louis area.

There are a number of reasons to voice opposition and The Post Dispatch outlined a number of those arguments:

The concern among some Christians in Spanish Lake extends beyond what they see as the moral hazards of gambling. “This is also about the stewardship of our environment,” said the Rev. Daniel Hite, chairman of Missouri Clergy Against Gambling Expansion. “The environmental impact is part of the consideration.”

A waterfowl refuge that makes up a large section of the southern part of the conservation area, and that is closed to the public for four months out of the year, parallels the northern border of the proposed casino complex site, and is separated from it by only 500 feet.

[Also]… members of Spanish Lake’s faith community say a casino would hinder their efforts to work with the poor. People with fewer means tend to be attracted to the lure of easy money won at a casino, they say, and when they lose the little money they have, the cycle continues.

For more information on the dangers of gambling, please visit CASINO WATCH, & CASINO WATCH FOUNDATION

A brief look at crime 8/10 – 8/16

Ontario mom ‘on roll’ in casino leaves infant in car

A Tilbury woman, who was “on a roll” while gambling, faces charges after a six-month-old infant was found in a vehicle parked in the Caesars Windsor parking garage in the early morning hours of Aug. 6, 2009.

Two Men Charged in 2001 Killing of Karaoke Club Guard

Federal prosecutors announced murder indictments Wednesday against two men in the 2001 killing of a security guard at a karaoke club in Queens.  the men were members and associates of the Ah Jun, an organized crime enterprise, the Ah Jun engaged in murder, extortion, illegal gambling and narcotics trafficking, among other crimes.

3 arrested in Blu-ray DVD theft ring

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement found thousands of dollars worth of DVDs and other items when it executed a search warrant on Tuesday, August 4, 2009, at the home of Gregory Marinitz, whom officials say ran a multimillion-dollar theft ring. “Our investigation reveals he has a significant gambling problem,”

Underage Gambling Leads To Large Fine For Atlantic City Hilton

The latest case of underage gambling in Atlantic City makes it appear that the casinos in the city must be severely disregarding gambling age requirements. The New Jersey Casino Control Commission fined the AC Hilton $115,000, and they have put other AC casinos on notice in the process.  In the case of the Hilton, a nineteen year old was given a players club card and proceeded to play many table games including blackjack, roulette, and poker. He also played slot machines. The gambler played so much, that he was even given a comped room.

Kickbacks from adult clubs to cab drivers spur legal battle

Several Las Vegas taxi companies and adult clubs are firing back in a lawsuit over commissions topless and nude clubs pay to cab drivers for bringing them customers, and both sides appear to be digging in for a long legal fight.  The suit charges consumers have been harmed because taxi and limousine companies have extorted more than $40 million in illegal kickbacks from local strip clubs in exchange for diverting customers to the adult establishments.

Teen’s bets cost Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort $115,000

But this would-be high roller actually was a teenager whose gambling spree between March 2007 and April 2008 cost Hilton a $115,000 fine Wednesday in one of the most egregious cases of underage gambling in Atlantic City’s 31-year history of casinos. Bally’s Atlantic City was fined $157,500 in November for allowing a 20-year-old woman to play the slot machines and gaming tables during an 18-day gambling binge in 2006. Kassekert said the penalty against Hilton was so severe because the casino ignored warnings from the state Division of Gaming Enforcement that the teenager was gambling there. Investigators tipped off Hilton on April 7, 2008, but the casino allowed him to gamble the following day.

Canada Man Faces Fraud Charges Related To Internet Gambling

Federal prosecuters indicted a Canadian resident on charges of bank fraud, money laundering and illegal gambling offenses related to his alleged role in processing more than $350 million for Internet gambling companies.  The indictment seeks the forfeit of about $565.9 million,

Ex-worker must repay $200,000

A former medical secretary was placed on probation yesterday and ordered to pay back $200,000 she admitted stealing from the doctor for whom she worked.  Ms. Grensavitch also was ordered, as conditions of probation, to continue to attend Gamblers Anonymous, to advise any future employers of her conviction, and to avoid acting in any fiduciary capacity.

Multi-Million Dollar Internet Cafe Gambling Operation Busted

Internet gambling cafes have become a popular target for authorities around the country. Dozens of these cafes have been busted for illegal gambling operations in the past six months. Authorities busted what they believe to be a multi-million dollar operation. Six people were arrested in the operation and hit with gambling related charges.

Exeter high-flier stole £100,000 to fund gambling

HIGH-FLIER Andrew May has been jailed for a year for stealing more than £100,000 from a city firm.  [He] admitted at Exeter Crown Court to three thefts by an employee, from the city branch of the insurance firm Friends Provident, totalling £112,952.  He was a well-respected technical consultant at the insurance firm, with access to confidential information, who stole two deceased clients’ pensions and from a tax refund to another pension, to fund his gambling addiction.  The court heard he had been a talented amateur rugby, football and cricket player

For more information on the dangers of gambling, please visit CASINO WATCH, & CASINO WATCH FOUNDATION

Statement on Proposition A

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Nov 4, 2008) ST LOUIS – In today’s election, Proposition A has been passed.

Evelio Silvera, spokesperson for Casino Watch Committee issued the following statement:

“We are grateful for all those who joined us in this grassroots effort to protect Missouri families. We stood strong in a bipartisan effort along side both gubernatorial candidates, elected officials, superintendents, educators, virtually every major state newspaper, and Missouri citizens. It is unfortunate however, that the $16 million, carefully constructed campaign of distraction, has succeeded, especially in light of all three Missouri teachers unions refusing to endorse Proposition A. We wish we were able to deliver this message to more families.”

“We are truly a grassroots campaign made up of volunteers around the state. We want to thank them for their effort as well as other key organizations such as Eagle Forum, Concerned Woman of America, Family Research Council and Focus on the Family, Missouri Family Network, The Missouri Catholic Conference, the Missouri Baptist Convention, and especially Bott Radio Network.”

More State Legislators Speak Out against Prop A

Every day more and more elected officials, school superintendents and people in charge of our educational funding speak out against Prop A.  State Senator John Loudon was recently quoted saying this Proposition is just another shell game:

A multimillion dollar advertising campaign by Las Vegas-based gambling companies to convince Missouri voters to lift the state’s $500 loss limit is “just another shell game being pushed by the gambling moguls to wrap themselves in the interests of education and veterans to squeeze more money out of everyday Missourians,” according to state Sen. John Loudon, R-Chesterfield. “Our economy is struggling, people are losing their homes to foreclosures, and bankruptcies are at an all-time high.”

He added: “Now, the gambling companies want to take the lid off what their patrons can lose. Like the CEOs on Wall Street, they want more of people’s money when we can least afford it. That’s the wrong message for Missourians.”

State Rep Bryan Stevenson of Joplin also spoke out:

“We have seen this before,” said state Rep. Bryan Stevenson, R-Joplin. “They will tout education and economic development, but in reality it is just a way to dig deeper into Missourians’ pockets for their own profits. In this economy I have some real problems with this ballot language.”

How the concepts behind the loss limit may help an entire country

Sometimes we take for granted the great protections we have here for Missouri Families and residents. We have shown in the past how the $500 loss limit can curb crime in our state by preventing money laundering and organized crime which helps drive drug dealers, criminals and even terrorist out of the state. And we have also shown how the loss limit provides the necessary check for enforcing the Disassociated Persons List and thus protects problem gamblers. Now it looks like the idea of tracking wins and losses through loyalty reward cards is catching on in Canada. The Victorian Times is reporting that they have a severe problem with both problem gamblers and money laundering and may have a solution

Both the money-laundering issue and the ongoing problem-gambling issue could be addressed by implementing a mandatory access card system in casinos (or, in more positive terms, customer loyalty cards with preferential odds).

Such a system would link deposits and winnings to individuals, allowing an independent monitoring body to identify persons who might be potential problem gamblers or money launderers. With such a system in place, the casinos and government would have to take more responsibility for helping problem gamblers (through counseling resources and access restriction programs).

The problem is that both the casinos and governments, working together to take peoples money, make such change difficult and the people of Canada are worried such problems will never be addressed. The article continues

Allowing a close examination of casino revenue is a problem for casinos and governments, because a significant portion of revenue from electronic gambling machines comes from heavy gamblers and any actions to address problem gambling and money laundering might reduce revenue.

We cannot simply pretend that casino revenue is just an entertainment tax or a tax on the innumerate. We have a problem with our casinos that is begging to be addressed and a relatively straightforward solution.

This scenario is all too common both here at home and abroad. However, we should hold our head high, as we have been willing to stand up to government here in Missouri and protect our families through our $500 loss limit. If we can stay strong and keep supporting loss limits here, who knows what kind of impact such resolve could have for an entire country!!!

Missouri’s Loss Limit Keeps the Criminal Element Out…Again!

There are many reasons to support Missouri’s $500 loss limit, however, one of the most overlooked and forgotten reasons for its support is because it is an effective tool for law enforcement officials. The loss limit provides Missourians with unique protection from organized crime and money laundering.

A perfect example of such protections comes from the St Louis Post Dispatch. They reported the story of man who stole $1.6 million from investors in a pyramid scheme and then later robbed at least three banks when the money went dry. What’s interesting to note is that the man made rounds at the casinos in both Atlantic City and the Casino Queen in East St Louis.

He was caught in Kentucky robbing banks and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering, was sentenced to five years in prison and he was ordered to pay $3 million in restitution.

Because of Missouri’s loss limit he was unable to launder any of the money through our casinos and was forced to take his criminal behavior across the boarder and out of our state.

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POLICY BRIEF: For more information on how the loss limit helps curb crime please read our policy brief entitled “Loss limits and law enforcement: How Missouri is uniquely protected” and check out all of our policy briefs at CasinoWatch.org. Or you can simply listen to the audio version of this Policy Brief below.

taking aim at the illegal gambling that fuels dog fighting

State Representative Jane Cunningham introduced legislation (HB 2416) which would change the laws regarding dog fighting in Missouri. While dog fighting is already illegal in the state of Missouri, many lawmakers across the country have re-visited the issue in response to the attention brought last summer by former NFL star Michael Vick. The steps taken in HB 2416 are a practical and responsible approach to not only keeping more animals from being endangered, but cutting back the financial motivation that fuels these dog fights, which comes in the form of illegal gambling by spectators.

This week members of the House Special Committee on General Laws heard testimony regarding HB 2416. A variety of speakers representing the Humane Society and Animal Control testified in favor of the bill. Casino Watch also took the opportunity to speak and persuade members of the committee to pass this bill because of the influence it will have on curbing the illegal gambling involved with these fights. Rep. Cunningham’s legislation specifies that any person who is found guilty of a second or subsequent dog fighting offense will be guilty of a class D felony. This change directly impacts the spectators of these fights by raising a misdemeanor offense to a felony with more serious penalties.

According to the Humane Society of the United States:

Spectators provide much of the profit associated with dogfighting. The money generated by admission fees and gambling helps keep this “sport” alive. Because dogfights are illegal and therefore not widely publicized, spectators do not merely happen upon a fight; they seek it out. They are willing participants who support a criminal activity through their paid admission and attendance.

Because dogfighting yields such large profits for participants, the minor penalties associated with misdemeanor convictions are not a sufficient deterrent. Dogfighters merely absorb these fines as part of the cost of doing business

It is important for lawmakers to understand that in order to prevent the cruel activity of dog fighting, we must look at the root cause motivation for conducting these fights, and that is simply the money generated by illegal gambling. HB 2416 is a good step in the right direction of curbing this illegal activity.

Below are thoughts and comments from the bill sponsor Rep. Jane Cunningham, concerning HB 2416 and the testimony provided by Casino Watch.