Court records reveal that LeForbes developed his illegal betting business at a notable Las Vegas casino, referred to as “Casino A” in legal documents, where he was a regular at Resorts World Las Vegas. According to details shared by informants, LeForbes engaged in this illicit enterprise over a span of three years, during which he managed to amass millions of dollars through unlawful bets. He also reportedly recruited casino hosts to help expand his operations, dubbed “the LeForbes Gambling Business” in court documents.
Damien Leforbes
The GCB was created in 1955 to regulate Nevada’s fledgling gambling industry and keep the federal government at bay. Attorney’s Office, MGM Grand and Cosmo agreed to follow additional BSA review and reporting requirements, spend at least $750,000 over two years on external compliance reviews with reporting to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, update internal audit protocols, and review a list of prior SARs, customer files, and transactions.
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They are currently facing discipline for allegedly allowing illegal bookmakers to launder their money through the casino. There is a 31-page document that refers to four individuals who are either involved with or are directly tied to illegal bookmaking. He is the illegal bookmaker who took bets from Shohei Ohtani’s former personal translator, Ippe Mizuhara. Earlier this year, Resorts World President Scott Sibella pled guilty to federal charges related to sports betting. Bowyer pleaded guilty earlier in August to operating an unlawful gambling business, money laundering, and subscribing to a false tax return.
Poker player pleads guilty, to be sentenced in Vegas bookmaking scheme
In the plea agreement, LeForbes is said to have recruited casino hosts to refer potential customers to his business. The complaint stems from the casino’s apparent anti-money laundering failures related to its dealings with Bowyer and several other illegal bookmakers. Resorts World Las Vegas has not been criminally charged in the matter. LeForbes had the all-important role of recruiting players for the illegal operation. They would be tasked with finding players in return for a cut of the gambling losses from players they produced— a classic affiliate model. Damien LeForbes, 43, a professional poker player, on Thursday pleaded guilty to the charges and will be sentenced Jan. 23 in Los Angeles.
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MGM Grand and the Cosmopolitan have since entered into non-prosecution agreements with the government and paid a $7.45 million fine. Resorts World has not been charged by the federal government with wrongdoing. It’s unknown if Casino A is Resorts World, where LeForbes racked up $12.3 million in losses during close to four dozen trips, as reported by the Current in May. Related Companies and Wynn Resorts this week shared additional renderings and an animated video showing what their New York City casino project would look like.
Ohtani’s Interpreter Linked To Poker Pro, Damien Leforbes, & Gambling Ring Ep 583 Solve For Why
Another was a resident high-roller known as “Big Al,” according to sources. Reputed illegal bookmaker Matt Bowyer’s name has also continued to surface in the investigation. Sibella and MGM casino marketing representatives allowed Nix to gamble millions and pay his debts in cash despite knowing he was an illegal bookmaker. The sentencing of Nix has been delayed several times since he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business in April 2022. Though the full extent of their association is unknown, representatives from Bowyer’s Gambling Business placed multiple wagers with Nix, according to a source who spoke to Action Network on the condition of anonymity. The interlocking cases have received widespread media coverage since the Los Angeles Dodgers fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s ex-interpreter, in March.
More fallout, signs of life in the Nix gambling investigation
In addition, LeForbes used hosts at the unnamed casino to find him customers, Las Vegas TV station KSNV reported. He also was paid in casino chips from gamblers, the report added. LeForbes also reportedly presented a bad check for $2.5M to Resorts World, according to the Current.
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He used illicit cash from his gambling business to play at a Las Vegas casino, which is referred to in the statement only as “Casino A.” LeForbes also owes $1 million to the Venetian, according to a source at that casino. That marker has also been sent to the district attorney, according to the source, however no case has been filed. On Thursday (29 August) the Massachusetts Gaming Commission started a discussion about multi-factor authentication (MFA) and about whether or not to mandate its use for every sports betting login. The plea agreement for LeForbes was filed with the US District Court of Central California on Monday.
Poker professional pleads guilty to running illegal sports betting business
But authorities didn’t say if the $148M gaming total was at Resorts World or another gaming property. LeForbes lost about $12.3M in close to 50 visits to Resorts World, the Current reported. LeForbes also racked up over $12 million in gambling losses at Resorts World in Las Vegas, according to the Nevada Current. The complaint focussed on Matt and Nicole Boyer, who had a separate complaint filed against her last Thursday.
- A third illegal bookmaker from California will plead guilty to running an illegal bookmaking operation and money laundering in California and in a Las Vegas casino.
- Mizuhara is facing more than 30 years in prison at next month’s sentencing, but he will likely receive substantially less time.
- Federal authorities raided Bowyer’s California home in early October of last year, and took his Las Vegas host Jennifer Belcastro’s phone the same day, according to Belcastro.
- LeForbes is alleged to have been one of the co-conspirators in the illegal gambling ring involving Matthew Bowyer and Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.
- Penn CEO Jay Snowden said on the company’s Q2 earnings call on 8 August that the platform would be live by the start of college football season.
- In its complaint, the Nevada Gaming Control Board says that Resorts World damaged the reputation of the state’s gaming industry by allowing several known or suspected felons to wager at the casino.
- Reputed illegal bookmaker Matt Bowyer’s name has also continued to surface in the investigation.
- Leforbes has been connected to Bowyer as the two were under investigation at the same time and both allegedly racked up gambling losses at Resorts World.
State of the Union: California sports betting scandal, BlueBet exit, proposed MD regs
The arraignment took place inside a courtroom at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building, a Los Angeles edifice that has served as the scene for several hearings during the longstanding investigation. Leforbes appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Charles F. Eick, who set a $50,000 bond. MyTopSportsbooks reviews and recommends sportsbooks independently.We might earn a comission if you sign up to a sportsbook using our links. LeForbes also owes $1M to The Venetian, the Current has reported. Ting is “known to have ties to organized crime,” the NGCB statement revealed. He reportedly “transferred or directed the transfer” of at least $9.3M to Resorts World Las Vegas, according to ESPN.
It seems likely the commission will consider at least two models. Under the proposal, the regulator would require seven days advance notice before a platform shuts down and would allow 182 days to return funds to bettors or turn the money over to the state comptroller. In addition, the regulator would require a clear shut-down plan.
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Win a million dollars betting on there and no one has to pay taxes to anyone. Yeah, you’ll owe a pretty penny to the IRS for federal income taxes (Nevada has no state income tax). For starters, LeForbes is not believed to be the ring leader of the operation.
This is where he stole $16 million from his famous client to pay back the debts and fuel even more wagers. Resorts World will have the opportunity to respond to the charges by requesting a hearing before the five-member NGBC, or it could negotiate a settlement. It was Boyer and his wife, Nicole — who worked for Resorts World as an independent contractor — who helped put Resorts World in the gunsight of the Nevada Gaming Control Board. She was most likely the casino host the bookmakers used to connect with customers. Interestingly, the lengthy settlement agreement also makes much of the $148 million he gambled during the time period in question. Anyone with a reasonable grasp of basic strategy can move a lot of money across a blackjack table without losing it all, but that total handle doesn’t equate with any real profit or loss figure.
- His passion in life is sports and being able to share that through his writing.
- Ohtani has been cleared by Major League Baseball, which considers him a victim of the massive theft.
- At least two casino hosts also knew the source of Nix’s money and failed to follow the BSA’s “know your customer” (KYC) rule.
- Last month, Leforbes entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors in connection with a sweeping probe into Southern California’s illicit sports betting market.
- A Resorts World spokesperson in August acknowledged the Control Board complaint and said the company is cooperating with authorities on the investigation.
- Checks and wire transfers were made out to a shell company called DJL — which is listed on his LinkedIn still — masking the illicit activity.
- In August, he pled guilty to operating an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and subscribing to a false tax return.
Breaking world casino news
Professional poker player Damien LeForbes has pleaded guilty in federal court to running an illegal sports betting operation and money laundering. LeForbes is alleged to have been one of the co-conspirators in the illegal gambling ring involving Matthew Bowyer and Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Bowyer and LeForbes have been under investigation by federal authorities for the operation of an illegal sportsbook, and LeForbes reportedly racked up over $12 million in gambling losses at Resorts World in Las Vegas. On Monday, Damien LeForbes, the operator of an illegal sports betting company, pleaded guilty. Mr. Forbes is a professional poker player operating an illegal sportsbook and performing money laundering. According to reports, Forbes could face up to 15 years in prison and up to three years on supervised release.
From Oct. 1, 2021 through Dec. 22, 2023 “defendant executed at least 17 personal or cashier’s checks to Casino A, totalling at least $9,105,000” from a bank account used to conduct the illegal gambling ring. The sports betting tax windfall reaped in North Carolina has South Carolina legislators intrigued, but more political pushback is expected in the Palmetto State than occurred in its Tar-Heeled neighbor to the north. The fate of Missouri’s legal digital sports betting initiative could be decided as soon at 5 September in Cole County Circuit Court.
- His testimony led to former MGM Grand executive Scott Sibella pleading guilty to violations of the Bank Secrecy Act.
- The complaint accuses the casino of allowing gamblers connected to illegal bookmaking and those with histories of federal felony convictions to gamble at its facilities.
- The latter requirement might have some casino executives and employees losing sleep these days.
- Court documents only identify the Las Vegas casino as “Casino A,” but LeForbes has been a frequent player at Resorts World Las Vegas, which earlier this month was the subject of a Nevada Gaming Control Board money-laundering complaint.
- A plea agreement for Damien LeForbes was filed with the U.S.
- In the plea agreement, LeForbes is said to have recruited casino hosts to refer potential customers to his business.
- Related Companies and Wynn Resorts this week shared additional renderings and an animated video showing what their New York City casino project would look like.
- Resorts World, MGM, and the Cosmopolitan have been named publicly, but it’s not much of a secret at this point that LeForbes owes the Venetian as well.
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To reiterated, this operation includes Ohtani’s disgraced translator, the 39-year-old Ippei Mizuhara. He began betting inside the ring in late 2021 and ran up massive amounts of losses. Mizuhara made 19,000 wagers, which netted him losses of around $40 million. LeForbes additionally operated an illegal sportsbook for at least five years in California, according to KSNV. The Current also reports that Resorts World has been investigated by federal authorities from California — where the bookies are based — since last year.
Less than six months later, in August 2023, federal investigators issued a subpoena to Resorts World for records of cash and wire transactions, among other things. The company fired Sibella a month later, saying he violated company policy. Nix, multiple sources confirm, wasn’t the only person with ties to illegal bookmaking who gambled at the MGM Grand.
In June of this year, Mizuhara agreed to plead guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. He faces up to 30 years in federal prison under the plea deal. In May, when this news story was barely unfolding, it was reported that LeForbes owed $12.3 million to Resorts World over lost wagers. Worse, at one point, LeForbes was caught writing a bad check for $2.5 million to the property.
According to his plea agreement, Bowyer operated an unlicensed and illegal bookmaking business that focused on sports betting and violated a California law that prohibits bookmaking. Professional poker player Damien LeForbes, a customer at Resorts World and a number of Las Vegas casinos, agreed Monday to a federal plea deal for money laundering and operating an illegal gambling business. He faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offenses.
His March sentencing was delayed, another sign the case is gaining steam. Other gamblers and casino employees questioned by agents are said to be weighing their options. He faces as much as 15 years behind bars for money laundering and operating an illegal gambling business, according to the Nevada Current. He also could be forced to pay up to $500K in fines when he’s eventually sentenced.
In a world that often finds a new generation of top gamblers knowing when to hold ’em and fold ‘em, but not when to stop preening on social media and making noise in the poker room, Damien LeForbes cast a different image.
Bob Pajich is a poker news reporter, creative writer, and poker player who never met suited connectors he didn’t like. For any tips, corrections, complaints or kudos, please contact us. The status of Nix as a former minor-league baseball pitcher gave his investigation and circle of clients enough caché to attract media attention at a time of unprecedented acceptance of sports wagering in the country.
Damien LeForbes, a professional poker player based in Long Beach, could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and fined $500,000. Per the court filings in Damien LeForbes’ case, the illegal operator hired hosts from a place being referred to as Casino A. They helped play a major role in LeForbes being successful for as long as he was. Between October 2021 and December 2023, LeForbes executed at least 17 personal checks at Casino A. Those checks totaled $9.1 million, including a $1 million check in April 2023. Additionally, LeForbes presented at least $2.8 million to Casino A between January 2022 and December 2023.