New York online gambling sports betting defendant pleads guilty
News on 27 Jul 2013
News on 27 Jul 2013
The spectacular and highly publicised federal bust of the Tokhtakhounov online sports betting ring in New York saw one of the 34 persons arrested, Hollywood producer Bryan Zuriff, pleading guilty in a Manhattan US Federal Court Friday.
Zuriff (44) pleaded guilty for his role in running the Los Angeles side of the high-stakes sports betting business, which allegedly had organised crime involvement.
He was charged with accepting a financial instrument in connection with unlawful Internet gambling, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announced, saying Zuriff operated an illegal gambling enterprise in Los Angeles but also helped run similar operations in New York.
Sentencing is scheduled for November this year, when Zuriff could get up to five years in jail. He has already agreed to forfeit $500,000 in illegal earnings.
Federal prosecutors claim that the gambling ring generated at least $100 million.
Zuriff was the first of the defendants in the case to plead guilty, says Bharara:
“Bryan Zuriff spanned the coasts with his crimes, by operating his own illegal gambling enterprise in Los Angeles, and helping to operate a vast illegal gambling enterprise in New York. With his plea, he becomes the first defendant, but not the last, to be convicted in this sprawling script of criminal conduct,” the US Attorney said.
According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Zuriff operated his own sports book and assisted other defendants who ran their own illegal gambling business in New York, providing gambling to millionaires and billionaires.
