Third phase of action against Platinum Sportsbook

The Canadian enforcement authorities continued their activities against the Costa Rica-based Platinum Sportsbook this week with a third round of raids and arrests in Canada that saw Michael Kriaris (39) of Toronto and 43-year-old Augustino Valenzisi of Vaughan detained, and warrants issued for the apprehension of three other men.

The action Wednesday by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, which includes the Mounties, are the latest in a series of raids, including a major bust on a Super Bowl Sunday gambling party in Toronto.

Both men arrested Wednesday were charged with committing a criminal offence for the benefit of a criminal organisation and conspiracy to commit the offence of engaging in bookmaking, police said in a press release. Kriaris also faces a charge of instructing a person to commit an indictable offence.

The same charges are embraced in the warrants of arrest issued on the 3 other men, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation noted.

The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit has conducted a further ten raids since the Super Bowl action, mostly in the Toronto area as investigations progress. More than 20 suspects have so far been charged and several million dollars in cash seized, along with documentary evidence.

The officer commanding of the CFSEU, Superintendent Keith Finn, said Wednesday: “The arrests today are the third phase of the investigation into illegal gaming and Platinum Sportsbook. The timing of these arrests was planned to meet specific strategic and operational needs of the investigation.

“We will continue to monitor the use of illegal gambling websites.”

Despite the Canadian disruption, Platinum Sportsbook continues to operate under a new .tk domain.