Shady Dealings: The Downfall of a Gambling Kingpin

In a shocking turn of events, Damien LeForbes, a professional poker player and a regular at Resorts World and various Las Vegas casinos, has agreed to a federal plea deal for money laundering and operating an illegal gambling business. The revelations shed light on the dark underbelly of the gambling industry, where high-stakes players and casino operators walk a fine line between legal and illicit activities.

Exposing the Gambling Underworld: A Cautionary Tale

The Gambling Odyssey of Damien LeForbes

According to the federal plea agreement, Damien LeForbes, a seasoned gambler, engaged in a complex web of illegal activities over the course of nearly two years. From January 2022 to December 2023, LeForbes gambled a staggering $148 million at a casino identified only as "Casino A." While the identity of this casino remains uncertain, reports suggest it may be Resorts World, where LeForbes racked up $12.3 million in losses during close to four dozen visits.The plea agreement further reveals that LeForbes utilized casino hosts as agents for his illegal gambling business, recruiting at least two hosts at "Casino A" to refer new potential bettors to his operation. This speaks to the deep-rooted connections between the gambling elite and the very institutions that are supposed to uphold the integrity of the industry.

The Laundering Tactics of a Gambling Kingpin

LeForbes's illicit activities extended beyond mere high-stakes gambling. The plea agreement details his use of various financial instruments to launder the proceeds of his illegal gambling enterprise. From October 2021 to December 2023, he executed at least 17 personal or cashier's checks totaling over $9.1 million, all stemming from a bank account used to conduct the unlawful gambling operations.Additionally, LeForbes employed cryptocurrency wallets to receive payments from bettors and make payouts, further obscuring the trail of his illegal activities. In one instance, he instructed a bettor on how to avoid detection, advising them to "just send like $100,000 at a time to different addresses" and to "create a different address in a wallet every time."

The Resorts World Controversy

The LeForbes case is not an isolated incident, as it shines a light on the broader issues plaguing the Las Vegas casino industry. Earlier this month, the Nevada Gaming Control Board filed a complaint against Resorts World for allowing illegal bookmaker Matt Bowyer and other gamblers to bet, despite their lack of a credible source of funds.One of the gamblers cited in the GCB complaint is "Patron A," an unnamed individual suspected of being an illegal bookmaker. According to the complaint, this individual lost $10 million at Resorts World between September 2022 and December 2023, and gambled on 150 separate days during that period.

The Ongoing Investigations and Implications

The federal investigation into LeForbes's activities has already yielded significant results, with the government seizing millions of dollars from his California home during a raid in December 2023. However, the saga is far from over, as the case has raised questions about the complicity of casino operators in enabling such illicit behavior.In a related development, the former president of Resorts World, Scott Sibella, has entered into a plea deal with the federal authorities for allowing an illegal bookie to pay more than $100,000 in cash to the MGM Grand without filing a suspicious activity report, as required by law. This case underscores the need for stricter oversight and enforcement within the gambling industry.The revelations surrounding LeForbes and the broader casino industry controversies serve as a cautionary tale, highlighting the pervasive nature of illegal gambling and the complicity of some industry players. As the investigations continue, the gambling community and the public at large await the outcome, which will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for the future of the industry.