A pro poker player could face up to 15 years in prison for operating an illegal sportsbook and money laundering

On Monday, Damien LeForbes, the operator of an illegal sports betting company, pleaded guilty. Mr. Forbes is a professional poker player operating an illegal sportsbook and performing money laundering. According to reports, Forbes could face up to 15 years in prison and up to three years on supervised release. Additionally, he could receive a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the gross gain/loss from his illegal business. For roughly three years, Forbes took millions in business across Nevada and California. Part of his business relied heavily on a Las Vegas Casino. 

Around January 2021, Damien LeForbes first set up his illegal sportsbook and the business ran until about December 2023. LeForbes accepted wagers in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Clark County, Nevada. To help run his business, LeForbes hired agents who were responsible for bringing new bettors to the platform in exchange for their betting losses. LeForbes and his agents would use a call center to create these accounts where bets could be tracked. To make his business more legitimate, LeForbes recruited two casino hosts to work for him. His illegal operation took payments in the form of checks and wires in the name of a company called DLJ. They also accepted cryptocurrency, cash, and payment processors like PayPal. On his LinkedIn profile, Damien Forbes is the president of DLJ.

An undisclosed casino was vital in the small success LeForbes saw

Per the court filings in Damien LeForbes’ case, the illegal operator hired hosts from a place being referred to as Casino A. They helped play a major role in LeForbes being successful for as long as he was. Between October 2021 and December 2023, LeForbes executed at least 17 personal checks at Casino A. Those checks totaled $9.1 million, including a $1 million check in April 2023. Additionally, LeForbes presented at least $2.8 million to Casino A between January 2022 and December 2023. In all his time at Casino A, Damien LeForbes wagered more than $148 million.

Was Resorts World Las Vegas involved in LeForbes’ scheme?

According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, Resorts World Las Vegas could be the suspected Casino A in the court filings. They are currently facing discipline for allegedly allowing illegal bookmakers to launder their money through the casino. There is a 31-page document that refers to four individuals who are either involved with or are directly tied to illegal bookmaking. One of those individuals named is Matthew Boyer. He is the illegal bookmaker who took bets from Shohei Ohtani’s former personal translator, Ippe Mizuhara. Earlier this year, Resorts World President Scott Sibella pled guilty to federal charges related to sports betting. It’s not a great look for Resorts World. Finally, Damien Forbes owes the casino $12.3 million.