The Bastards Are Serious

Wow.

Feds Nab BetOnSports CEO

BetOnSports said it had been unable to contact Chief Executive David Carruthers, who is being held in Fort Worth, Texas, but had seen a U.S. indictment "alleging various criminal acts against multiple defendants."

The U.S. Department of Justice said on Monday that BetOnSports was among 11 individuals and four corporations facing various charges of racketeering, conspiracy and fraud.

The founder of BetOnSports, Gary Kaplan, 47, was also charged with 20 felony violations, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest, the Department of Justice added.

"BetOnSports.com and other gambling Web sites operated by Gary Kaplan and his co-defendants offered gamblers in the United States illegal wagering on professional and college football and basketball," said a copy of the indictment seen by Reuters.

The FBI has instructed four telephone companies to stop providing services to BetOnSports, the company said, citing the U.S. Department of Justice.

The United States has also filed a civil case ordering BetOnSports to stop taking sports bets there and to return money held by U.S. customers in their gaming accounts. A hearing in the case could be held within 10 days.

This isn't exactly a rinky-dinky operation they're targeting, either, as BetOnSports is traded on the London Stock Exchange and a fairly big operator in the world of online sportsbetting. Somehow methinks that various executives and operators of online gaming sites may be a little more circumspect in their travel to the US in upcoming months.