3299 stories by Philip Conneller
Connecticut Dog Trainer Accused of Animal Abuse Was ‘On Casino Bender’
A Connecticut dog trainer arrested in connection with the death of a dog in her care has admitted she was “on a casino bender” when the animal died. Josephine Ragland, 27, has been charged with felony larceny and misleading a police officer...
Bob Baffert Sues Gamblers Alleging Extortion, Defamation
Racehorse trainer Bob Baffert is suing two New Jersey gamblers he accuses of threatening, extorting, and defaming him via social media and text messaging. In a federal lawsuit filed in San Diego Wednesday, the six-time Kentucky Derby winner alleges that Justin Wunderler...
Wirecard Fugitive Jan Marsalek ‘Led Russian Spy Ring’ in UK
Wirecard’s former chief operating officer, the fugitive Jan Marsalek, was an alleged spymaster who fed orders to five Bulgarian nationals accused in the UK of spying for Russia. The extraordinary allegation was made by the Crown prosecutors in London’s Westminster Magistrates' Court...
China and 10 Southeast Asia Nations Agree to Transnational Casino Crime Crackdown
China has signed a new agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to tackle gambling-related transnational organized crime in the region. That’s in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). ASEAN is an association of 10...
‘Last Mafia Godfather’ Matteo Messina Denaro Dead at 61
Matteo Messina Denaro, believed to be the "capo di tutti capi," the boss of all bosses of the Sicilian Mafia, has died at age 61. Dubbed “the last Godfather” by the media, he was Italy’s most wanted man for 20 years before...
Natalee Holloway Suspect ‘Took Care of Things’ After Disappearance
Dutch national Joran van der Sloot, the one-time poker player and the prime suspect in the disappearance of American Natalee Holloway, once made a startling “confession” to a friend, new court filings show. Two days after Holloway went missing on the island...
Crockfords Casino, UK’s Oldest Gaming Club, at Risk of Closure
The future of Crockfords Casino, which claims to be the UK’s oldest gaming venue and is certainly one of its swankiest, hangs in the balance. The current owner, Malaysia’s Genting Group, has initiated a 30-day “consultation process” with its staff as it...
Poker Player Bluffed Terminal Cancer to Get WSOP Buy-In
A Vallejo, California man has admitted that he lied about having terminal colon cancer to raise the $10K buy-in to the World Series of Poker Main Event. Poker player Rob Mercer, 37, made $12,500 from a GoFundMe page and is believed to...
$2B Powerball Jackpot Plaintiff Says He’s Receiving Death Threats
An Altadena, Calif. man who claims he is the rightful recipient of the biggest lottery prize ever awarded says he has been dealing with death threats since suing the official winner. Jose Rivera claims the $2.08 billion-winning Powerball ticket was stolen from...
Circa Casino ‘Imposter Scammer’ Pleads Guilty in $1.1M Heist
A man accused of stealing more than $1 million from Circa Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas by pretending to be one of its owners pleaded guilty Monday to one count of theft of more than $100K. Erik Gutierrez Martinez, 24,...
