ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI – The three men who have been arrested on online gambling-related charges have pleaded guilty.
William Hernan Lenis, his son Will Lenis, and nephew Manny Lenis, all from Miami, Florida pleaded guilty to federal charges in a one of the most-watched cases in the short history of the US Government’s effort to crackdown on offshore and internet gambling.
The three have been accused and arrested on charges of helping the online gambling firm BetOnSports promote its allegedly illegal operations in the US.
The US Attorney’s office in 2006 accused BetOnSports and its officials of illegally accepting online bets and cases have been filed against BetOnSports founder Gary Kaplan and former CEO David Carruthers. It used a 1960s law called the Wire Act as the basis for prosecuting BOS which prohibits placing bets on sports over the telephone.
The 55-year old William Lenis pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of gambling paraphernalia when his company, Mobile Promotions, deployed motor homes to various sporting events to promote BOS. His son Will and nephew Manny helped him promote BOS. Will also pleaded guilty to transmission of wagering information while Manny pleaded guilty for failure to pay a wagering tax.
The elder Lenis also revealed that his other company, Direct Mail Expertise transmitted mailed ads for the online gambling company from 2000 to 2006.
The three men pleaded guilty to avoid a long and costly trial.
The three will receive their sentences on October 24.
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