Four indicted in offshore gambling operation

[clevfan]

Four indicted in offshore gambling operation
Associated Press
Wed, Aug. 16, 2006

OAKLAND, Calif. - Four men were indicted for allegedly running an illegal offshore gambling operation, federal authorities said.

A 12-count indictment unsealed Tuesday charges two Americans and two Costa Rica residents with conspiracy and conducting an illegal gambling business, conspiracy to launder funds from the business and other federal charges.

Richard Anderson, 62, of Los Angeles; Houshang Pourmohamad, 61, of Richmond, Calif.; and Darwin Mobley and Jorge Esteban Hall Zumbado, both of Costa Rica, were charged in the indictment.

Pourmohamad was arrested on July 26 in Richmond and was scheduled to appear in court Sept. 12, according to the Internal Revenue Service, which investigated the case.

Anderson, Mobley, and Zumbado remain at large, the IRS said. Federal authorities said the three operated an online gambling business called bettheduck.com in Costa Rica. The operation was allegedly funded with money sent by wire transfer from the United States to a Costa Rican bank account.

Pourmohamad allegedly was in charge of collecting money from gamblers in the United States, authorities said.