Multimillion-dollar bookmaking operation in Vegas busted by Gaming Control, FBI

A Las Vegas man is accused of operating an unlawful bookmaking operation involving about $8 million in bets at Nevada sportsbooks and an offshore web site primarily based in Costa Rica.

William West Roberts, 57, was arrested Tuesday after a multi-year investigation by the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the FBI. The investigation relied partly on a “confidential human source” and undercover investigators posing as gamblers, based on an arrest report for Roberts.

The Gaming Control Board arrest report states Roberts was recorded by authorities speaking concerning the bookmaking operation. He is accused of taking bets by way of an internet site anchored in Costa Rica and commingling revenues with funds from two companies recognized within the investigative report as Ace’s Family Fitness, 7171 N. Hualapai Way, and a social media playing tip enterprise known as Wild Bill Consulting Inc.

“The financial documentation did not substantiate the volume of funds Roberts used to support his lifestyle and casino wagering,” investigators mentioned. “Multiple financial institutions closed Roberts’ accounts due to suspicious banking activity and casinos likewise identified irregularities associated with his transactions.”

Roberts was booked on the Clark County Detention Center on felony counts of working a gaming institution with no license, disseminating racing info with no license and receipt of compensation for bets with no gaming license. Roberts additionally faces gross misdemeanor counts of accepting an illegal wager in Nevada, trying to launder cash and one misdemeanor rely of accepting an illegal wager from somebody outdoors Nevada.

Las Vegas Justice Court data don’t listing an lawyer for Roberts. An try to contact him Friday morning was not instantly profitable. He has posted a surety bond and is scheduled to be again in court docket on May 12.

A prison grievance within the case had not been filed as of Friday morning.

Roberts’ arrest report states that between 2022 and 2026, he was listed in 334 money transaction experiences totaling as a lot as $7.4 million.

“A review of casino records showed that Roberts wagered approximately 8 million dollars in sports books in Nevada,” investigators mentioned. “Illegal bookmakers sometimes place bets on legal wagering platforms for a few practical reasons tied to how their business works. The main reason is the hedging risk. A bookie takes bets from customers and is exposed to losses if those customers win big. To manage that risk, they will often ‘lay off’ bets on a legal sports book.”

The investigation began, investigators mentioned, after Roberts’ ex-girlfriend emailed authorities.

Contact Glenn Puit at [email protected].