S.I. man was boss of ‘Diamond Enterprise’ ring, feds say
The Staten Island leader of a racketeering operation dubbed the “Diamond Enterprise” pleaded guilty to multiple charges in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday in connection with underground gambling establishments that propped up a criminal organization under his control. Abduraman Iseni, 56, who authorities said is a Staten Island resident, pleaded guilty to eight charges including racketeering, money laundering, bank fraud conspiracy, making false statements to a bank, making interstate threats and two gambling offenses.
Iseni made the guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter. “As he admitted today, Abduraman Iseni led a network of underground gambling establishments to prop up a criminal enterprise under his control,” said U.S. Attorney Damien Williams. “Iseni engaged in a series of additional crimes, including money laundering, threatening a victim with physical violence, and defrauding and lying to banks in an effort to receive money to which he was not entitled,” said Williams. “Thanks to the hard work of our partners at the FBI, Iseni stands convicted of numerous offenses and awaits sentencing for his years of crime.”
Legends Casino shooting, nationwide warrant issued at 750K
Police are still actively looking for Buddy McKenzie as there is a nationwide warrant for his arrest of 750K. Authorities say they are receiving Crime Stoppers tips and Det. Reyna is receiving phone calls, but still no leads in finding McKenzie. Investigators confirmed the victim is 37-year-old Lupe Torres, and she is still alive. Police are asking for the publics help in finding 41-year-old Buddy Byron Mckenzie for shooting Torres in front of Legends Casino. In the early morning of Monday, October 4th, deputies were called to Legends Casino for a report of a woman that was shot in the parking lot of the casino.
According to investigators, casino security found the woman and directed deputies to the crime scene where deputies realized the woman had a gunshot wound to her head and torso. Deputies provided first aid until medics arrived and took her to the hospital by ambulance. If anyone has information about this shooting and where they can find Buddy Mckenzie please call Detective Reyna at (509)574-2567 or CrimeStoppers at (800) 248-9980 Case 21C16703
Fatal Punch at The Strat Leads to Las Vegas Murder Charge
A Las Vegas man is to appear in court on Tuesday for allegedly murdering another man in the lobby of the Strat Hotel, Casino & SkyPod several weeks ago. The charge was brought to light this week. Initially, Michael Saunders was charged with battery for the Aug. 27 incident, but the charge was upgraded to murder after the victim died from his injuries, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Saunders is currently being held without bail. If convicted, he could face life in prison. He has been convicted previously for unrelated crimes in Nevada.
Five accused of scamming more than $1M at Atlantic City casinos
Five New York City residents are accused of stealing more than $1.1 million from casinos here through a bogus-check scheme. The suspects allegedly exchanged phony bank checks for gaming chips at five casinos between Aug. 26 and Aug. 28, said the Attorney General’s Office. Three of the casinos — Borgata, Caesars and Ocean — each lost $284,000 to the scheme, the agency said in a statement Thursday. The Golden Nugget and Hard Rock casinos lost $134,000 apiece.
“The defendants were caught executing a sophisticated financial scheme spanning multiple casinos and over a million dollars in fraudulent checks,” Acting Attorney General Andrew Bruck alleged Thursday in announcing charges in the case. The suspects allegedly presented each casino with two fake checks, one for $150,000 and another for $134,000, the statement said. The checks appeared to be from TD Bank and Bank of America. Hard Rock’s loss was lower because it denied a $150,000 check. Golden Nugget reduced its exposure by telling a suspect she could only receive incremental amounts on a $134,000 check.
Pennsylvania Board Adds Three to Casino Exclusion List for Leaving Kids Unattended
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) this week placed the names of three parents or guardians on an exclusion list. They were involved in separate situations, leaving kids unattended in cars parked at a casino.
In each case, the parent or guardian went into the casino while the child or children were left alone in the car. The board called the adults’ actions “irresponsible.” “In making these decisions regarding the three adults, the Board is reminding the gambling public to not leave children unattended … not only because of the possible exclusion from all Pennsylvania casinos and prosecution, but more importantly due to the possible safety hazard to the child,” the PGCB said in a statement. Now that the adults are on the Involuntary Exclusion List, they are prohibited from entering or gambling at any Pennsylvania casino, the statement adds.
The PGCB detailed each incident. One of the parents was placed on the list after leaving an 11-year-old child in a parked car, while the adult went into the casino to redeem a sportsbook ticket. In another case, the father of two boys — one of whom was eight and the other five — was placed on the list after leaving them in his car while he placed a bet at the sportsbook and played craps, the statement said. And a woman was placed on the list for leaving four children — ages 13, 13, 10 and two — in her vehicle while she watched an acquaintance play craps.
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