Poker professional pleads guilty to running illegal sports betting business

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A professional poker player pleaded guilty in federal court to running an illegal bookmaking business.

A plea agreement for Damien LeForbes was filed with the U.S. District Court of Central California on Monday.

LeForbes is pleading guilty to charges of operating an illegal gambling business and using the money at a Las Vegas casino.

According to a statement of facts included with the plea agreement, LeForbes ran his illegal sportsbook for at least five years in Southern California, and the business took a gross revenue of well over $2,000 per day.

He used illicit cash from his gambling business to play at a Las Vegas casino, which is referred to in the statement only as “Casino A.”

LeForbes ultimately wagered more than $148 million at “Casino A” over several months, according to the court filing. In some cases, he recruited hosts from the casino to refer potential customers and took its chips as payment from bettors.

He could face up to 15 years in prison at sentencing.

Multiple reports have linked LeForbes to the investigations into Resorts World Las Vegas and illegal bookmakers Mathew Bowyer and Wayne Nix.

Bowyer and Nix both pleaded guiltyin their federal cases.

Meanwhile, the Nevada Gaming Control Board served a complaint earlier this month alleging Resorts World allowed known illegal bookmakers to gamble in its casino.