3300 stories by Philip Conneller
Beau Rivage Casino Would ‘Put Victim Back Together,’ Deranged Killer Hoped
A Biloxi, Miss. man who stabbed a stranger 30 times, partially dismembering him and severing his arm, was caught as he attempted to haul his victim’s lifeless body to the nearby Beau Rivage Casino. The killer said he hoped someone at the...
New Yorker Arrested in NBA Betting Case Was Trying to Flee to Australia
A Brooklyn man suspected of involvement in the Jontay Porter NBA betting scandal was arrested at JFK International Airport Monday as he prepared to board a one-way flight to Australia. On Tuesday, Long Phi Pham, 38, was charged with conspiring to defraud...
Chicago Slots Salesman Who Sued ‘Are We Dating the Same Guy?’ Imprisoned for Tax Evasion
A Chicago-area sweepstakes-machine salesman who sued Facebook and dozens of women from the “Are We Dating the Same Guy?” (AWDTSG) Facebook group has been sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for tax evasion. In a lawsuit filed in January, just days...
Philippines POGO Industry Under Threat After ‘Chinese Agent’ Fracas
A bill freshly filed in the Philippine Senate calls for the dismantling of the country’s controversial online gambling (or “POGO”) industry, citing its links to cases of human trafficking and online scams. A POGO, which stands for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator, is...
Gambler Faces Prison for Stealing from ‘Thunderbirds’ Writer-Director
A care provider in the UK who prosecutors claim stole £75K (US$95K) from an Emmy Award-winning writer and director to feed his addiction to lottery tickets has failed to have his guilty plea vacated. Allan John Beacham, 66, pleaded guilty in January...
Macau Fraudsters Bilked Casino for $580K with Baccarat Cold Decks
Five employees of an unnamed casino on Macau’s Cotai Strip are accused of orchestrating a scam involving stacked baccarat decks that bilked the venue out of HK$4.54 million (US$581,498). On May 25, Macau’s judiciary police arrested eight individuals on suspicion of involvement...
Malta Regulator Sentenced for Leaking Secrets to Suspect in Journalist Murder Case
Malta’s former chief gaming regulator, Heathcliffe Farrugia, has been convicted of leaking official secrets to the casino owner suspected of organizing the car-bomb assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. On Tuesday, Farrugia was sentenced to a conditional discharge, which means he will...
Ex-Toronto City Official Linked to Gambling Ring Run by Ex-Hells Angels Hitman
A veteran Toronto city official has denied being a member of a Greek organized crime group allegedly run by former Hells Angels hitman, The Toronto Star reports. Kypros Perikleous, 55, was a senior director of transportation services for the city. He worked...
FanDuel Founders’ $120M Suit Over Flutter Deal Revived in New York
The New York State Court of Appeals has revived a lawsuit brought by FanDuel’s founders against a powerful group of current shareholders. In 2018, FanDuel merged with the Anglo-Irish gambling group Paddy Power Betfair in a deal that valued the former at...
Macau Casino Suspicious Transaction Reports Catapult by 90%
Macau casinos filed 89.1% more suspicious transaction reports (STRs) in Q1of 2024 than in the corresponding period last year, according to new data from the special administrative region’s (SAR) Financial Intelligence Office. The numbers reflect a growth in transactions generally, as Macau’s...
