Indicted Colbert pleads not guilty
Former Cantor Gaming sportsbook manager denies charges of enterprise corruption, promoting gaming in the first degree and money laundering in the second degree.
Mike Colbert, the former Cantor Gaming sportsbook director indicted on multiple charges last month, has pleaded not guilty at a New York court.
Colbert, who was fired by the Nevada company, denies charges of enterprise corruption, promoting gaming in the first degree and money laundering in the second degree.
His appearance at the Supreme Court of the State of New York Court follows yesterday’s exclusive report from eGaming Review that another of the 25 indictees, Pinnacle Sports co-owner Stanley Tomchin, is to fight the allegations brought against him.
According to American sports betting news site The Linemakers, Nevada Gaming Control chief of enforcement Jerry Markling said: “No action has been taking against [Colbert] yet [but] there are meetings going with the individuals and the Queens County DA in New York.”
Meanwhile, this week saw the arrest of seven Hawaii residents on illegal gambling charges unrelated to the Colbert indictment.
According to newspaper the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, those arrested were named as Eric Ford, 45; Barbara Ford, 44; Marlo Banasan, 34; Matthew Phillips, 39; Kendale Limahai, 47; Jonah Yardley, 37; and Trevor Carter, 24. An eighth individual, 35-year-old Robert Bland, had been arrested earlier in Arizona.
The paper reports: “U.S. Attorney Florence Nakakuni said that according to the indictment, Eric Ford operated an illegal gambling business from at least November 2009 until Nov. 20, 2012 out of a water company in Kailua-Kona.”
It adds that: “The indictment alleges that the gambling operation consisted of sports betting and various gambling events, such as poker games and craps games, and used an offshore gaming website. The six other defendants, not including Barbara Ford, are alleged to have assisted Eric Ford in the taking of bets, collection of gambling debts, and payment of gambling winnings.”