POKER ACE CHARGED WITH PROMOTING

12 October 2007

It's taken some time, but Richard Lee will now have his day in court


World Series of Poker ace player Richard Lee (56) now knows what charges he faces in his home town of San Antonio, Texas following the announcement that the local District Attorney has filed charges for promoting gambling.

San Antonio news media reported this week that the poker ace will finally have his day in court.

InfoPowa readers may recall last year's dramatic police raids of Lee's Texas home following an investigation into alleged bookmaking charges. The raid on his house, one of several targeted, resulted in the seizure of millions in property believed by authorities to be either the proceeds of a criminal operation or connected with same.

Four other individuals were named in the somewhat general charge of "promoting gambling," which is a misdemeanor offence under which those convicted could face maximum terms of a year in jail and a $4 000 fine. It is understood that plea deals are under negotiation prior to the case coming to court on November 7.

The other four people named in the charges are Lee's son-in-law, Lawrence 'Larry' Joseph Davenport (30) Matthew Colburn Winslow (57) Marco de Carlo Hernandez (31) and Daniel Ortiz (30).

District Attorney Susan Reed has additionally filed a civil forfeiture application to permanently confiscate the extensive cash and valuable property seized in the raid last year and in subsequent investigations. The application seeks an 80 percent retention by the state of the value of the seized cash and property, most of which belongs to Lee.

$2.7 million in cash, a 2005 Lexus LX470, a 2005 Mercedes S430, a 2004 Toyota 4Runner, a range of high-end luxury consumer goods from electronics and fashion accessories to watches are covered by the DA's application, which is opposed by Lee's lawyers, especially in regard to the cash, which Lee's legal team says is the remains of his $2 803 851 payday from the 2006 WSOP, but the prosecution claims is the 'fruit' of an illegal bookmaking operation.

The DA's case rests on allegations that a Costa Rican registered Internet sportsbetting site, Betbsbnow.com was operated by Lee and the others. Lee was frequently referred to throughout the investigation as the 'biggest bookie" in San Antonio nicknamed as "The Chinaman" in local circles, authorities have revealed.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa