In 2006, the St. Louis United States Attorney’s office filed charges against BetOnSports executives and other employees with illegally accepting bets online. That same year the Company was permanently barred from accepting any bets from United States gamblers. BetOnSports pleaded guilty to accepting bets from US gamblers last year and now three men associated with the Company have plead guilty to federal charges.

William Hernan Lenis, Will Lenis and Manny Lenis filed a guilty plea in St. Louis this past Wednesday. Will is William Lenis son and Manny is his nephew. All three men are from Miami, Florida and are charged with different crimes.

William Lenis, plead guilty to interstate transportation of gambling paraphernalia. Will Lenis plead guilty to transmission of wagering information while Manny Lenis plead guilty to failing to pay a wagering tax, which is a misdemeanor. William Lenis charges stem from him using his Mobile Promotions company to send motor homes to sporting events around the country with BetOnSports promotions. William also admitted to promoting BetOnSports through his Direct Mail Expertise Company for six years. The government believes both Will and Manny Lenis were working with William Lenis to promote BetOnSports.

Other charges that would have been filed against the men were dropped due to the guilty pleas. Monica Lenis, William’s daughter was not charged because of the men’s pleas as well. All of the men will be sentenced on October 24th of this year. Not one of the three men is directly associated with the Company, BetOnSports, they are being charged for promoting an illegal activity in the United States.

BetOnSports has other cases pending against top executives of the Company. The former Chief Executive of BetOnSports, David Carruthers has a case as well as the founder of the Company, Stephen Kaplan.


- 2008-08-11