Local man now one of 7 to plead guilty in case of illegal betting ring
By KRISTEN ZAMBO,
klzambo@naplesnews.com
May 27, 2004
A 27-year-old Lee County man charged in connection with an international sports betting ring pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court.
Anthony Lee Miller Jr., 18770 Old Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers, pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to transmit wagering information by interstate and foreign wire after federal and county investigators arrested him and 13 other men at a sports wagering business in Fort Myers.
"We're pleased at this point," Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Barclift said. "We've had seven people who have agreed to plead guilty. It strengthens the case against those remaining."
Miller and the others were charged with conspiracy to transmit wagering information by interstate and foreign wire and to operate an illegal gambling enterprise. The men, whom the U.S. Attorney's Office said worked for Player's Edge Inc. and National Sports Consultants Inc. in Fort Myers, are accused of advertising for and receiving money for gambling advice and referring clients to specific offshore gambling casinos that then gave money back to Player's Edge and National Sports Consultants.
The men offered expertise in sports betting to residents through the Web sites
www.danthemanwilson.com and
www.nationalsportsconsultants.com, a syndicated radio talk show and through telephone solicitation, according to the federal indictment. They referred bettors to the offshore casinos Fair Deal Sports and Five Card Charlie in West Antilles and SBG Global in Costa Rica, which in turn provided the sports wagering companies with access to clients' betting information and account balances, the indictment says.
Miller's attorney, Charles M. Harris, was unavailable for comment Wednesday. A message was left for Miller, but he could not be reached for comment.
No sentencing date has been set. Barclift said the maximum penalty Miller could face is two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. There is no minimum penalty. Other defendants may plead guilty as well, Barclift said.
The arrests were the result of a large local and federal joint investigation into the betting operation. More than $8 million in cash and items were seized by investigators last month. Items seized include a Lamborghini, Dodge Viper, property, and sports memorabilia such as an autographed photo of Chicago Bears player Walter Payton and an O.J. Simpson Buffalo Bills football helmet.
"The idea was to shut it down right at the end of March Madness," Barclift said, referring to the NCAA basketball tournament.