Hawaii bust implicates offshore website

Hawaii County Police, the FBI and IRS officials have broken an alleged gambling ring that has been in operation for the past three years under the guise of a water retailer called the Aloha Spring Water Company.

Seven people were reportedly arrested and another, based in Arizona, is expected to be soon.  Defendents have been named as Eric Ford (45), Barbara Ford (44), Matthew Phillips (39), Marlo Banasan (34), Kendale Limahai (47), Jonah Yardley (37), Trevor Carter (24) and Robert Bland (35).

Eric Ford is believed to be the Kingpin, while Barbara Ford allegedly helped to hide the operations money which is thought to have brought in over $2000 a day.  Authorities named the offshore betting website World Wide Wagering as being used to place the sports wagers.

World Wide Wagering is an online sportsbook that also offers casino games and a racebook utilising BLR Tech software under a Government of Dominica licence.

“The indictment alleges millions of dollars of illegal betting activity that was going on with this ring as well as some of the activity of them structuring deposits to hide the activity that was going on and that’s why the IRS was involved.  Local and federal law enforcement really aren’t interested in bets among friends but when something becomes organized crime gambling, an actual gambling business that is illegal in Hawaii we’re going to dismantle that,” said Tom Simon, FBI Special Agent.

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