A federal grand jury indictment was unsealed in Utah on Thursday charging seven individuals and four companies, including one offshore Internet gambling company, with conspiracy, bank fraud, money laundering and violation of the Wire act in connection processing illegal online gambling transactions.
The 34-count indictment alleges the defendants promoted illegal Internet gambling in the United States and facilitated the processing of more that $150 million in credit card payments to illegal online gambling companies. U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman said the defendants helped online gambling companies disguise credit card payments as other purchases to deceive banks in exchange for a cut of the money.
The seven individuals, all residents of Las Vegas, include Baron Lombardo, Richard Carson-Selman, Henry G. Bankey, Francisco Lombardo a.k.a. Frank Lombardo, Count C. Lombardo, Tina I. Hill, and Kimberlie Lombardo a.k.a. Kittie Lombardo. The four companies charged include CurrenC, Ltd., a.k.a. CurrenC WorldWide, LTD., of Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Gateway Technologies, LLC., of Draper, Utah; Hill Financial Services, Inc., of Draper, Utah, and Las Vegas; and online sport betting and casino operator BetUS of Kahnawake, Canada and Costa Rica.
None of the individuals are in custody. Carson-Selman was arrested on Thursday and had an initial appearance before a judge, but was released under the supervision of pretrial services.
The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Paul Warner in Salt Lake City on May 30.
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