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Federal officials arrest at least 14 accused in gambling scam
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Federal authorities said they have busted a betting ring that scammed at least $20 million from gamblers across the country by falsely claiming ring members had inside information on sports games. They are also accused of taking money from the gamblers to place in offshore betting accounts, and keeping the money! One complaintant said he deposited between $60,000 and $900,000 into the Players Edge bank account on several different occasions, thinking he was depositing offshore and they were placing the bets for him. All in all he lost $2.3 million dollars! He said of the games they gave him; 76 total, he lost 59 of them overall!
Fourteen men were arrested Thursday and were accused of conspiracy to transmit wagering information by interstate and foreign wire; and conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling enterprise, according to an FBI arrest complaint.
Authorities said the men ran the scam under three different businesses in the Fort Myers area, Player's Edge Inc., National Sports Consultants Inc. and Nationwide Sports Inc.
Victims were promised that the information would guarantee results, but patrons lost $20 million to $25 million while betting on games and paying for the worthless betting advice, said Doug Molloy of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Fort Myers.
The businesses provided betting advice for gamblers and referred them to offshore betting parlors, and the businesses would receive illegal kickbacks from the parlors, Molloy said Friday.
Among those arrested were: John R. Rodney Jr. also known as "Dan the Man Wilson", who ran Player's Edge from 1993 to 2003; Robert Robitzek and Joseph DiLorenzo, who ran National Sports Consultants; and Nicholas DelNegro also known as "Nick Levy and Joe Reno", who ran Nationwide Sports.
The 14 men are scheduled to be indicted next week and it could not immediately be determined Friday if they had lawyers. If convicted of the crimes listed in the complaint, they face up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
California attorney Ron Blumberg has set up a Web site to contact victims. He said 18 people have come forward claiming losses ranging from a few hundred dollars to "in excess of six figures."
Blumberg said he is collecting victims' names and information for a possible class-action civil suit against National Sports Consultants.
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Federal officials arrest at least 14 accused in gambling scam
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Federal authorities said they have busted a betting ring that scammed at least $20 million from gamblers across the country by falsely claiming ring members had inside information on sports games. They are also accused of taking money from the gamblers to place in offshore betting accounts, and keeping the money! One complaintant said he deposited between $60,000 and $900,000 into the Players Edge bank account on several different occasions, thinking he was depositing offshore and they were placing the bets for him. All in all he lost $2.3 million dollars! He said of the games they gave him; 76 total, he lost 59 of them overall!
Fourteen men were arrested Thursday and were accused of conspiracy to transmit wagering information by interstate and foreign wire; and conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling enterprise, according to an FBI arrest complaint.
Authorities said the men ran the scam under three different businesses in the Fort Myers area, Player's Edge Inc., National Sports Consultants Inc. and Nationwide Sports Inc.
Victims were promised that the information would guarantee results, but patrons lost $20 million to $25 million while betting on games and paying for the worthless betting advice, said Doug Molloy of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Fort Myers.
The businesses provided betting advice for gamblers and referred them to offshore betting parlors, and the businesses would receive illegal kickbacks from the parlors, Molloy said Friday.
Among those arrested were: John R. Rodney Jr. also known as "Dan the Man Wilson", who ran Player's Edge from 1993 to 2003; Robert Robitzek and Joseph DiLorenzo, who ran National Sports Consultants; and Nicholas DelNegro also known as "Nick Levy and Joe Reno", who ran Nationwide Sports.
The 14 men are scheduled to be indicted next week and it could not immediately be determined Friday if they had lawyers. If convicted of the crimes listed in the complaint, they face up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
California attorney Ron Blumberg has set up a Web site to contact victims. He said 18 people have come forward claiming losses ranging from a few hundred dollars to "in excess of six figures."
Blumberg said he is collecting victims' names and information for a possible class-action civil suit against National Sports Consultants.
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