Sports Offshore agent convicted on UIGEA charge
Todd Lyons is first US resident to be convicted under the 2006 act, and could face 20 years in prison.
An agent for Antigua-based egaming operator Sports Offshore has become the first person in the US to be convicted under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
Todd Lyons could face more than 20 years in prison after allegedly collecting losses from US based customers on behalf of the company, whose principal Daniel Eremian was found guilty of racketeering charges (of which Lyons was also convicted) and could also be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years behind bars.
According to the Boston Globe, Lyons and Eremian “ whose sentences are yet to be confirmed “ were cleared of separate charges of money laundering following a month-long court case in Boston which ended on Sunday. The newspaper also reports that a detention hearing has been set for Thursday this week.
While based in Antigua, the Sports Offshore business, which had traded under the www.playlegal.com name, had not held an operating licence in the white-listed jurisdiction. It was reportedly found to have illegally taken bets “From the East Coast of the United States”.
A notice from the commission dated 23 October 2009 cited that “Sports Offshore Limited… is no longer licensed to conduct interactive gaming and interactive wagering within the jurisdiction of Antigua and Barbuda…[and]… Any statement or inference to the contrary is false.”
Sports Offshore had first been licensed in the jurisdiction in July 1996 but after the licence expired 13 years later it was not renewed by the commission.
US Attorney Carmen M Ortiz said in a statement that the convictions “Should serve as a message to those involved with illegal gambling schemes that the government will apply the full weight of its resources to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals who seek to profit from offshore gambling.”