A co-defendant in the illegal gambling case involving the bookie of Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter has pleaded guilty in federal court.
According to a filing in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Damien LeForbes has pleaded guilty to operating an unlawful gambling business and transactional money laundering for his role in an illegal gambling operation tied to Matthew Bowyer. The former has also pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Details of LeForbes’ illegal activity
LeForbes is accused of overseeing and participating in an illegal gambling scheme that had continuous operations for more than 30 days and had gross revenue of over $2,000 per day. According to the filing, LeForbes employed agents and sub-agents to recruit clients to illegally wager under his operation. The agents were also responsible for collecting losses from bettors on behalf of LeForbes. Those agents were then paid with losses from bettors.
A pair of the agents LeForbes had hired were also employed as hosts at retail casinos. LeForbes funneled the illegal gambling money through the casinos using a shell company. Between October 2021 and December 2023, LeForbes executed at least 17 personal or cashier’s checks to an unnamed casino. The checks totaled at least $9.1 million. LeForbes is also accused of using cryptocurrency as a form of payment under his illegal operation.
According to the filing, LeForbes avoided public crypto exchanges when transferring the currency and instead used private wallets. He transferred up to $100,000 in crypto at a time and would do it “every week for millions back and forth,” according to messages.
Resorts World a frequent stop for LeForbes
LeForbes is accused of wagering over $148 million at brick-and-mortar casinos over an 11-month span. According to the Nevada Current, he lost more than $12 million while gambling at Resorts World Las Vegas, which could be the unnamed casino in the complaint. The casino has been shrouded in controversy for fostering an operational environment that lacked oversight due to illegal gambling activity.
LeForbes incurred the losses while making nearly 50 trips to Resorts World. He reportedly attempted to alleviate his losses by turning over a $2.5 million bad check to the casino.
The defendant also reportedly owes the Venetian in Las Vegas approximately $1 million.
As a result of his guilty plea, LeForbes has agreed to “forfeit all right, title, and interest in and to any and all monies, property, and/or assets of any kind derived from or acquired as a result of, or used or involved in, the illegal activity.” The court has already seized crypto owned by Leforbes, including 11.8 Bitcoin and 36,112 .2 Chainlink coins.
It also seized $249,560 in cash from LeForbes’ residence during its probe last December.
LeForbes faces up to 15 years in prison for his role in the operation. He is also subject to three years of supervised release, a $500,000 fine, and a $200 mandatory special assessment.
LeForbes part of a bigger problem
The investigation into LeForbes was spearheaded by a probe into Bowyer.
Earlier this month, Bowyer agreed to plead guilty to operating an unlawful gambling business, money laundering and subscribing to a false tax return for his role in the gambling scheme that led Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, to steal roughly $16 million from the MLB superstar to cover gambling losses owed to Bowyer.
Mizuhara, who has also pleaded guilty to federal charges, placed roughly 19,000 wagers with Bowyer and accumulated $40 million in losses with the operation in nearly three years.
Bowyer was implicated in the case involving Mizuhara after his home was raided in October 2023 by federal authorities after bank statements from Ohtani’s account showed at least two $500,000 payments marked as loans sent by Mizuhara to the former bookier.
Bowyer siphoned a portion of the funds from his operation to Resorts World through a marker account. He then used money from the account to withdraw chips to gamble with.
Former Resorts World President Scott Sibella was relieved of his duties for allowing the illicit activity. He also recently pleaded guilty to money laundering charges stemming from his previous tenure at MGM Resorts where he allowed known illegal bookie Wayne Nix to gamble at the property.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) is also taking a stance against the operation.
The NGCB has filed a complaint against Resorts World and its parent and affiliated companies for alleged violations of the Nevada Gaming Control Act and the Nevada Gaming Commission’s regulations. The NGCB accuses Resorts World of a lack of compliance and not meeting the standards of its Anti-Money Laundering Program.
Bowyer faces up to 18 years in prison for his role in the illegal operation while Mizuhara, who has a sentencing hearing scheduled for Oct. 25, faces up to 33 years in prison. U.S. District Court Judge Dolly Gee sentenced Sibella to one year of probation for his role.
