Whether online gambling is legal or illegal is a question that is still very much under debate. Some legal experts argue that it is legal, while others believe that it is illegal. The US Supreme Court has not yet decided whether online gambling is legal or illegal. However, it is very much possible that a decision will be made soon.
United States v. Heacock
During the trial, evidence was found to indicate that Heacock had engaged in gambling activities. He was convicted under two separate charges: one relating to money laundering and the other relating to illegal gambling. The money laundering conviction was based on a statute enacted by the Mississippi legislature. The state statute is known as the RICO statute. The RICO statute elevates two misdemeanor gambling offenses to felony status. Those offenses are a form of money laundering, which is a crime punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 or a prison term of up to five years.
United States v. Tedder
Several agencies including the IRS and FBI have been investigating Tedder for the past several years. The results of these investigations led to a number of alleged felonies and misdemeanors. The most egregious of these allegedly involved Tedder’s involvement in a scheme to launder millions of dollars in Gold Medal Sports’ money.
The indictment of Tedder is the result of a three-year undercover investigation. The prosecutors allege that Tedder helped to launder the Gold Medal Sports’ winnings through bank accounts in Ireland, the Bahamas and the United States. The scheme was a good ol’ fashioned foreign deferred compensation scam.
United States v. Kaplan
Count Two of the indictment charges Kaplan with making a false statement to the Food and Drug Administration. The jury award was the largest in Nevada history. However, the Court will not address Count Two of the indictment. The issue here is whether Kaplan can prove presumption of prejudice. Specifically, the court will consider whether Kaplan has demonstrated the presumed prejudice of a jury pool that has been saturated with pre-trial publicity.
Kaplan cites several examples of negative publicity. In addition, Kaplan claims that the jury pool in his case is likely to include jury members who were not selected for Desai’s trial. He also claims that a written juror questionnaire is a better way to assure an impartial jury.