3300 stories by Philip Conneller
Florida Gambling Den Owner Wants Confiscated $142K Back
The owner the Golden Nugget Arcade in Palm Beach Gardens is asking authorities to return the $142,029 in cash seized from the venue when it was shut down for illegal gambling and money laundering in September 2022. Cynthia Patel, from Dayton, Ohio,...
European Soccer Sponsorship Linked to Tech Crime Network Involved in Human Trafficking
Investigators have uncovered the existence of a shadowy criminal tech group that acts as a “full cybercrime supply chain” for dozens of online gambling brands targeting the Chinese market. The group, dubbed “Vigorish Viper” by cybersecurity investigator Infoblox, appears to be the...
Tennessee Store Clerk Filched $1M Lottery Ticket, Cops Say
A Tennessee store clerk has been charged with Class A felony theft of more than $250K for his failed plot to steal a customer’s $1 million winning lottery ticket. When the clerk, Meet Patel, 23, arrived at the Tennessee Lottery’s Nashville headquarters...
Philippines Bans $3B POGO Industry
Efforts are underway to dismantle the Philippines' online gambling -- or POGO -- industry after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced Tuesday its total ban, “effective immediately.” The POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) sector is largely dominated by Chinese nationals. It thrived...
Isle Casino Gambler Claims Jackpot with Fake Name, Gets Double-Busted
An Iowa man who joined the state’s self-exclusion program was arrested after he tried to claim a jackpot at the Isle Casino in Waterloo, Iowa, while pretending to be someone else. Matthew James Wessels, 43, signed up for the program in January...
Macau to Auction Alvin Chau’s Property Portfolio, Seeking Restitution
Assets of fallen junket king Alvin Chau will be auctioned off by the Macau government as it seeks to recoup the US$3.2 billion owed by Chau and his former company, Suncity. This includes Chau’s real-estate portfolio of 34 properties and parking spaces....
Bob Baffert ‘Takes Responsibility’ for Medina Spirit Drug Test, Ban Lifted
Churchill Downs Inc. has lifted its ban on trainer Bob Baffert from racing his horses at their tracks. That’s after the Horse Racing Hall of Famer issued a statement accepting responsibility for Medina Spirit’s positive drug test after winning the 2021 Kentucky...
Bicycle Casino Security Controversially Cleared in Death of Asian Man
Security at California’s Bicycle Casino were negligent when they restrained a man in the venue’s parking lot, but their actions did not lead to his death, according to a Los Angeles jury. Korean American Jonathan Jung died three minutes after being held...
Massive Global IT Outage Knocks Out Flights, Banking, Media, Casinos
A mass technology outage is causing disruption to industries across the globe. On Friday, planes were grounded, TV stations knocked offline, and banking services disrupted after a widespread Microsoft 365 system failure caused chaos worldwide. More than 1,000 flights have been delayed...
Iowa Files to Dismiss College Athlete Suit Alleging Botched Betting Prosecutions
The state of Iowa has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a group of college athletes who claim their rights were violated when they were ‘illegally’ prosecuted for underage gambling. Twenty-six Iowa and Iowa State athletes sued the...
