• About Us / Contact
  • Responsible Gambling
This site contains commercial content
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Colorado
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetMGM Bonus Code
    • Bet365 Bonus Code
    • Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code
    • ESPN BET Promo Code
    • Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetRivers Promo Code
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Colorado
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetMGM Bonus Code
    • Bet365 Bonus Code
    • Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code
    • ESPN BET Promo Code
    • Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetRivers Promo Code
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
No Result
View All Result

Former Baseball Minor Leaguer Admits Running Illegal Sportsbook In California

Court documents say bets were made by a pro football player, an MLB coach, an MLB broadcaster, and others

Jill R. Dorson by Jill R. Dorson
April 1, 2022
in Industry, Legal
baseball-sitting-on-$100-bills

Shutterstock

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Multiple professional athletes, including an ex-minor league baseball player, were involved in a multi-million dollar illegal gambling operation based in California and assisted by a Costa Rican sports betting site, according to court records unsealed this week.

The U.S Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced in a press release that Wayne Nix, a former minor league baseball player, and his partner, Edon Kagasoff, admitted operating an illegal wagering operation for more than six years. In addition, Nix has entered a plea agreement caliadmitting to tax fraud by having failed to report $1.5 million in income over two years from the business, according to the press release.

The operation involved more than five people and, according to Bloomberg News, took bets from numerous individuals who included a professional football player, a Major League Baseball coach, and an MLB analyst, though none were named in the court press release.

Nix and Kagasoff have agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges, prosecutors say. Over the years, the pair took in millions in handle, much of it through an offshore sportsbook based in Costa Rica. The operation, according to court documents, “often had gross revenue of well over $2,000 in a single day.”

Check-cashing company washed $18 million

Nix is set to enter a guilty plea on April 11 and Kagasoff will make his first court appearance Friday. A third defendant, Howard Miller, was to appear in court Thursday afternoon to plead guilty.

In addition to the Nix and Kagasoff cases — which are or will be resolved by plea bargain — court documents revealed that Celebrity Financial LLC, a Sherman Oaks, California company doing business as Sherman Oaks Check Cashing, was charged with money laundering. It cashed “at least” $18 million in checks from the illegal gambling business at its San Fernando store while failing to file currency transaction reports, which are required for transactions of more than $10,000. The company agreed in a plea agreement to pay a $500,000 fine.

Nix admitted to running a sports gambling business for more than 20 years and told the court that he employed three former Major League Baseball players — who were not identified — to help. He said that he used his connections as a professional athlete to develop a high-profile roster of bettors, including current and former pro athletes in multiple sports.

Sign Up For The Sports Handle Newsletter!
I also want to receive information and offers about online sportsbooks (eg. odds boost, welcome offers)

During a court hearing, Nix revealed that he had at least one client who wagered $1 million per year, another who placed a $5 million bet on the 2019 Super Bowl, and a third, identified as a sports analyst, who had plans to refinance his home to pay off gambling debts. Nix partnered with Sand Island Sports, the unregulated black-market operator, by making use of its online infrastructure and calling center.

According to Baseball Reference, Nix was a pitcher drafted by the Oakland A’s out of his California high school in the fourth round of the 1995 draft. He played pro ball from 1995-2001, getting as far as the AA level.

The case is the second in four years in which the U.S. Department of Justice has been able to bring those behind illegal wagering in California to court. In 2018, 14 men were indicted in a case in which the Lucky Lady Casino and Card Room in San Diego was being used as a front for an illegal bookmaking operation.

ShareTweetShare
Jill R. Dorson

Jill R. Dorson

Jill has covered everything from steeplechase to the NFL and then some during a more than 30-year career in sports journalism. The highlight of her career was covering Oakland Raiders during the Charles Woodson/Jon Gruden era, including the infamous “Snow Bowl” and the Raiders’ 2003 trip to Super Bowl XXXVII. Her specialty these days is covering sports betting legislation across the country. You can reach Jill at [email protected]

This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only.

Related Posts

graton-rancheria-casino-exterior
Industry

California Tribal Leaders: We Have Support And 2024 Initiative Not Out Of The Question

March 29, 2023
Shutterstock
Legislation

Card Room-Backed Sports Wagering Bill Filed In Washington State

January 27, 2023
Load More

Top Stories

system error

Schuetz: Palpable Errors In Sports Betting, And The Palpably Bad Decisions That Follow

September 25, 2023
churchill downs betting

Two Of Seven Platforms In Kentucky Will Allow Betting At Age 18 Starting Thursday

September 25, 2023
Getty Images

Will Prohibet Provide One-Stop Shopping For Detection Of Sports Betting Infractions?

September 14, 2023
have-a-game-plan-bet-responsibly-screenshot

Bettors Know All About Responsible Gambling, But Most Don’t Use Tools

September 12, 2023

State Sports Betting Guides

Sports Betting in Kentucky

Kentucky Sports Betting – Pre-Launch Offers & Best Legal Sportsbook Apps for 2023

by Dukes Wooters
September 22, 2023

Ohio (U.S. state) flag waving against clear blue sky, close up, isolated with clipping path mask alpha channel transparency, perfect for film, news, composition

Ohio Sports Betting – All Online Sportsbooks, Bonus Offers, and News 2023

by Brian Pempus
September 26, 2023

Downtown Detroit at twilight (Shutterstock)

Michigan Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
September 6, 2023

VA captial

Virginia Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks And Bonus Offers

by Brett Smiley
September 1, 2023

nj flag

New Jersey Sports Betting — Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
September 6, 2023

Canada Sports Betting Guides

Canada Sports Betting – Best Sportsbook Apps 2023

British Columbia Sports Betting – Legal Update, Available Sportsbooks, and FAQ

Ontario Sports Betting – Legal Status And Where To Play

SportsHandle

  • Analysis
  • Casino
  • Features
  • Horse Racing
  • Industry
  • Legal
  • Legislation
  • Lottery
  • Opinion
  • Podcasts
  • Poker
  • Politics
  • Promotions
  • Regulation
  • Sports
  • Uncategorized

Better Collective

This website is owned and operated by Better Collective USA. Trademarks and copyrights referenced on this website are and shall remain the exclusive property of their respective owners and/or licensors. Please be sure to visit the operator’s website(s) to review their terms & conditions. We advise you to read these carefully as they contain important information. Copyright © 2023 USBets.com | Better Collective USA
21 Play Responsibly
Gamble Aware West Virginia
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
GameSense

Search Sports Handle

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us / Contact
  • Responsible Gambling

No Result
View All Result
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Colorado
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetMGM Bonus Code
    • Bet365 Bonus Code
    • Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code
    • ESPN BET Promo Code
    • Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetRivers Promo Code
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News