Illegal Sports Gambling Enterprise Busted NR15867jr

Los Angeles: Detectives assigned to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Major Crimes Division have announced the arrest of several southern California suspects accused of operating an illegal sports gambling enterprise.

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, joined by New York City Police Commissioner William J. Bratton, today announced that a Queens County grand jury has indicted 17 individuals in New York, Nevada, Arizona and California on charges of unlawfully operating a highly sophisticated sports gambling enterprise that stretched across the country and utilized offshore-based gambling websites. The enterprise, which is alleged to have annually booked more than $32 million, is also accused of laundering its criminal proceeds by depositing and withdrawing large sums of cash from various banks throughout the United States.

The defendants are charged in a 124-count indictment with enterprise corruption. Fourteen others were arrested today in California, Arizona and Nevada and will be extradited to New York to face criminal charges. If convicted, the defendants each face up to 25 years in prison.

The LAPD, along with NYPD, the FBI and Nevada Gaming executed 11 arrest warrants and served warrants at 5 locations throughout Santa Clarita, Downey and Long Beach areas. 9 suspects were taken into custody and large sums of cash and numerous items of evidentiary value.

For further information contact Detective Shannon Hajji, Los Angeles Police Department Major Crimes Division, Transnational Organized Crime Section, at (213) 486-7270.