BetonSports fugitive arrested

**jetset** · 30th March 2007, 10:58 PM

BETONSPORTS FOUNDER KAPLAN ARRESTED

No refuge in Dominican Republic from US law

After over eight months on the run, BetonSports controversial founder and fugitive from US justice, Stephen Gary Kaplan was arrested today (Friday) at a hotel in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The arrest was made by the country's national police, accompanied by US State Department and FBI officials.

Triggered by the arrest on July 17 last year whilst in US transit of its CEO, David Carruthers, BetOnSports plc officials and others were indicted in July 2006 by a federal grand jury on various charges of racketeering, conspiracy and fraud (see previous InfoPowa reports). According to the indictment, BetOnSports.com, based in Costa Rica, misleadingly advertised itself as the "World's Largest Legal and Licensed Sportsbook."

BetonSports plc was a publicly traded holding company that owns a number of Internet sportsbooks and casinos.

In November, BetOnSports said it would permanently stop accepting bets from U.S.-based customers, as part of the company's settlement deal with US authorities. Carruthers, who was dismissed shortly after being arrested, remains on bail and confined to St. Louis pending trial, with no date yet set.

"Mr. Kaplan was arrested at a hotel in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, without incident by the Dominican National Police, the U.S. State Department and the FBI," Roland Corvington, Special Agent in Charge, FBI St. Louis Office, said in a statement Friday.

"The U.S. State Department, specifically in Costa Rica, has provided and will continue to provide, vital assistance in relation to all aspects of this investigation including the apprehension and deportation of fugitives such as Gary Kaplan."

In July, Lawyers for online betting and gambling company BetOnSports PLC failed to appear in federal court in St. Louis.

Kaplan (48) is personally charged with 20 felony violations of federal laws including: the Wire Act, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Conspiracy, interstate transportation of gambling paraphernalia, interference with the administration of Internal Revenue laws and tax evasion.

After Kaplan's arrest in the Dominican Republic, he was sent by Dominican authorities to Puerto Rico for an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge, according to a release from US officials in St. Louis. The Magistrate Judge will be asked to order that Kaplan be sent to St. Louis immediately or be held in custody pending a removal hearing to transfer him to St. Louis and for a detention hearing to hold him without bond. Currently, the exact date of Kaplan's return to St. Louis is unknown.

According to the DoJ release, BetOnSports co-owner Norman Steinberg is still at large, as is co-defendant Peter Wilson.

The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Carol Jackson and no trial date has been set, as pretrial motion proceedings continue.

**sdaddy** · 1st April 2007, 08:48 PM

There was not much of a sympathetic reaction on the sports betting forums to this arrest, as many hold Kaplan responsible for the demise of BOS and the non-payment of funds to affected US customers.

Still, I see this reaching of the DoJ outside its borders as another dangerous precedent in its campaign against online gambling.

**jerryg** · 3rd April 2007, 06:51 AM

He should have stayed in Israel.

Why is there never a link to the original source in these articles? I know most people would never click it, but it seems that it would be a common courtesy.

**sdaddy** · 3rd April 2007, 08:32 AM

The OP is the writer of the article, jerryg.

**Simmo!** · 3rd April 2007, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by jerryg

He should have stayed in Israel.

Why is there never a link to the original source in these articles? I know most people would never click it, but it seems that it would be a common courtesy.

Jetset IS the original source - lol.

**lots0** · 3rd April 2007, 06:16 PM

Man I am sooooooo glad I stayed away from sports books.

I mean Sports Betting was (and still is) the only form of online gambling that truly is illegal inside the US.

And every one of these recent 'high' profile gambling DOJ arrests are based on betting on sports inside the USA...
Go figure...

**Westland Bowl** · 3rd April 2007, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by sdaddy

Still, I see this reaching of the DoJ outside its borders as another dangerous precedent in its campaign against online gambling.

The DoJ/US Govt does this outisde USA borders because it can. It doesn't matter whether it is illegal, unethical, morally wrong, what have you because the US Govt is God in their own eyes and they have the means to enforce their will upon other countries. But increasingly, other countries are gainly more and more share of the cards to use against the US in the form of not buying any more Treasury Bonds or dumping them, buying up US-held gold, surpassing US military technology, etc. The disruption in the Chinese stock market had a big effect (temporary one though) on Wall Street a few weeks ago. I'm sure other countries would love to see US military stretched thin with getting involved with yet another war, with Iran. US may go out in a blinding flash of thuggish activity that backfires on them, if not having several cities nuked.

**jetset** · 5th April 2007, 04:31 PM

KAPLAN EXTRADITED TO MISSOURI (Update)

Peurto Rican judge authorises removal of BetonSports founder

Classified as a flight risk by the Puerto Rican judge before whom he appeared this week in an extradition hearing, BetonSports founder Gary Stephen Kaplan will soon be on his way to Missouri in the custody of FBI agents to face 22 criminal charges.

US federal judge Marcos Lopez, presiding over the hearing said that Kaplan, who was arrested March 28 in the Dominican Republic and brought to Puerto Rico, poses a flight risk and should not be freed on bond pending his transfer from the U.S. island territory, Associated Press reports.

Kaplan's attorney, Maria Sandoval, said the businessman would seek to be released on bail after he is taken to Missouri, where he faces charges arising from a U.S. Department of Justice initiative which has crippled the company and left its former CEO, David Carruthers on bail and awaiting trial in St. Louis for the past eight months. Thousands of players are still awaiting payment, which the Antiguan authorities are helping to facilitate when funds become available.

Kaplan (48) was named in a 22-count criminal case alleging fraud and racketeering.

Federal prosecutors indicted BetOnSports PLC last year for allegedly breaking a 1961 law by allowing U.S. customers to gamble and place sports bets over the phone and online. The company later closed its U.S. operations.

Kaplan and 10 others, including Carruthers, have been indicted with racketeering, conspiracy and fraud and face calls to repay more than US$4 billion in alleged betting profits. Prior to the bail hearing US attorney for the eastern district Catherine Hanaway said from Missouri: �This was a worldwide search, and thanks to the assistance of many law enforcement agencies this fugitive will soon be back in St Louis to face the charges.�

**Mousey** · 5th April 2007, 09:58 PM

....
Kaplan and 10 others, including Carruthers, have been indicted with racketeering, conspiracy and fraud and face calls to repay more than US$4 billion in alleged betting profits.....

Soooo... just out of curiosity... is the USA trying to reclaim profits only earned from US players? Or are they trying to be greedy and claim all profits earned (regardless of origin).