A former minor league baseball player and current and former professional athletes were involved in an illegal sports betting ring that was run in part by a former minor league baseball player.
The men and the check-cashing company were charged in the Central District of California. There were charges of operating an illegal gambling business.
According to the Department of Justice, Wayne Nix, 45, of Newport Coast, California, agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business that took millions of dollars in bets through a Costa Rica-based website. He could face up to eight years in prison.
According to court documents, the bookmaking operation began in 2002 by the fourth-round draft pick of the Oakland A's. He was in the farm system until 2001.
Current and former professional athletes were included on the client list that was developed by the Department of Justice. According to the Department of Justice, he employed three former Major League Baseball players to help with the business.
The plea agreement shows multiple incidents with unnamed professional athletes, coaches and a sportscaster.
A professional football player gave a check to Nix for $245,000 for gambling losses.
The Major League Baseball coach gave $4,000 to Nix.
On February 13, Nix agreed to reactivate the betting account of the sportscaster who said he was trying to pay off his gambling debt.
Four other people, including Edon Kagasoff, Howard Miller, Kenneth Arsenian, and Joseph Castelao, have accepted plea agreements. Sherman Oaks Check Cashing, doing business as Celebrity Financial, was charged with failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program related to cashing at least $18 million in bets from the illegal gambling business.
A spokesman for MLB said that it was unaware of those involved other than Nix when it began looking into the matter.
The Department of Homeland Security and the IRS are looking into the matter.
The report was contributed to by the Associated Press.
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