Areas of Expertise
3300 stories by Philip Conneller
‘Serial Killer’ Arrested at Cherokee Tahlequah Casino, Oklahoma Victims Named
An Oklahoma man arrested Saturday at the Cherokee Tahlequah Casino has admitted killing three people and burying them on his property in nearby Eldon Hill, The Tahlequah Daily Press reports. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) made the announcement shortly before his...
Eddie Tipton, Mastermind Lottery Fraudster, Wins Parole
Eddie Tipton, the Iowa man who rigged the Multi-State Lottery, has been paroled four and a half years into a 25-year prison sentence. The Iowa Board of Parole said it had taken the decision because there was “a reasonable probability” that Tipton...
UK Lottery Fraudster to Cough Up £1M or Face Six More Years in Prison
A scammer who “won” £2.5 million (US$3.3 million) on the UK National Lottery with a forged ticket has been ordered to hand over assets worth £939,782 (US$1.25 million) or face an extra six years in prison. Edward Putman, 56, was sentenced to...
Reputed Genovese Mobster Gets Four Years for Illegal Gambling, Dodges Murder Charge
An alleged Genovese crime family member from Yonkers, New York has been sentenced to four years in a federal prison on illegal gambling and obstruction charges, The Journal News reports. Prosecutors had wanted to put John Tortora, aka “Johnny T.”, away for...
Rank Group Expects Bounce Back as UK COVID Restrictions Removed
The Rank Group, the UK’s largest casino operator, hailed today as a “big day” for the hospitality sector. That's as England scrapped almost all of the restrictions that had been in place to combat the omicron variant. As of Thursday, face masks...
Florida Harness Racing Suit Claims Pompano Park Decoupling Illegal
Florida’s beleaguered harness racing industry is suing the state’s Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering over the new “decoupling” law that threatens to eradicate its sport and livelihoods. Also named in the lawsuit is Pompano Park. That’s Florida’s only surviving harness racetrack, owned by...
LVS Says Asian American Entertainment Broke Partnership in $7.5B Breach Case
It was Asian American Entertainment Corp (AAEC), and not Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS) that broke up a business relationship between the two parties, a Macau court has heard. It’s a broken partnership that launched what must surely be the biggest breach...
Louisiana Mobile Sports Betting Expected to Launch Friday, Insiders Say
Louisiana plans to launch mobile sports betting in two days’ time, according to multiple sources who spoke to Sports Handle this week. Insiders say the state’s Gaming Control Board expects to issue temporary licenses to some operators Friday, allowing them to launch...
Cricketer Brendan Taylor in Spot-Fixing Blackmail Plot After Snorting Cocaine with Gang
The former captain of the Zimbabwe cricket team took to social media this week to detail how he was blackmailed by a gambling syndicate to manipulate a match after its members videoed him snorting cocaine. Brendan Taylor, 35, did not go through...
Dallas Poker Room Ordered to Close as City Attorney Suddenly Changes Law
A Dallas cardroom has received notice that its permit to operate in the city has been revoked, just months after obtaining approval from city officials. Ryan Crow, CEO of the Texas Card House, told local CBS affiliate KTVT he had received a...