Connect with us

Nevada

Illegal bookmaker nominated for Nevada’s ‘black book’ by gaming regulators

Published

on

Illegal bookmaker nominated for Nevada’s ‘black book’ by gaming regulators


LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The man at the center of state and federal money laundering investigations has been nominated for inclusion in Nevada’s black book — the list of people prohibited from entering a casino in the state.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board voted unanimously to nominate Mathew Bowyer to the list at their Wednesday meeting. Bowyer is currently serving time in federal prison for convictions involving illegal bookmaking and money laundering.

The black book is symbolic of Nevada’s commitment to the integrity of the state’s gaming industry. Convicted cheaters and “unsavory” characters — some with connections to organized crime — are added to the state’s list by regulators. Wednesday’s vote was the first step in listing Bowyer. If he doesn’t request a hearing before the Nevada Gaming Commission, he can be included in the list by another vote at an upcoming meeting.

Mathew Bowyer, who pleaded guilty in 2024 to running an illegal gambling business, money laundering and filing a false tax return, speaks at a news conference outside federal court, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in Santa Ana, Calif., following his sentencing to 12 months and one day in prison. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Bowyer’s name surfaced during the investigation into bets made by a man who worked as a translator for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. Ippei Mizuhara was just one of many bettors — estimated at more than 700 people — who placed bets through Bowyer, who operated in California using offshore sports wagering websites.

Advertisement

Mizuhara was sentenced to four years in prison for stealing $17 million from Otani. Investigators estimate he placed $324 million in wagers with Bowyer, losing just under $41 million.

Investigators said Bowyer “frequented Las Vegas casinos and used illicit proceeds from his illegal bookmaking business to gamble and pay off casino markers,” a description repeated at Wednesday’s meeting by Nevada Deputy Attorney General Nona Lawrence.

She outlined five things in Bowyer’s past that qualify him for inclusion in the black book:

  • convicted of felonies under federal law
  • convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude
  • convicted of a crime that is a violation of the gaming laws of California
  • convicted of willful evasion of taxes
  • he has a notorious or unsavory reputation that would adversely affect public confidence and trust that the gaming industry is free from criminal or corruptive elements

Any one of those is enough to put him on the list.

Bowyer was a central figure in the investigation into money laundering violations at Resorts World Las Vegas, and Nevada gaming regulators have reached agreements that produced fines totaling more than $30 million from Resorts World, MGM Grand, Wynn Las Vegas and Caesars Palace. Those investigations have focused on improper relationships with illegal bookmakers.

Gaming Control Board member George Assad said Bowyer was “thumbing his nose at us” and said the action should send messages that people who launder money through Nevada casinos will be fully prosecuted, and then banned from casinos to protect the gaming industry’s reputation.

Advertisement
Nevada Gaming Control Board member George Assad speaks during Wednesday’s hearing.

Assad pushed for the nominations of Bowyer and another illegal bookmaker, Wayne Nix, to the black book. Nix was nominated in December.

“The second message should now be very clear to all Nevada gaming licensees, that we will hold them accountable and responsible for lax oversight, whether it be from gross negligence or institutional willful ignorance or just plain stupidity.”

He added, “It is also important that Mr. Bowyer and Mr. Nix be placed in the Nevada black book by the Nevada Gaming Commission to also send a strong message to the federal government and federal politicians that we can clean up our own dirty laundry. There is no need for a federal gaming oversight commission, and there is no need to have a federal gaming tax to pay for such a commission.”



Source link

Advertisement

Nevada

Nye County Sheriff urges caution after deadly month on rural Nevada roads

Published

on

Nye County Sheriff urges caution after deadly month on rural Nevada roads


A string of deadly crashes in and around Pahrump has prompted Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill to push for more safety measures along dark, sidewalk-free roads.

“The worst penalty is death, if you consider that,” McGill said.

The recent deaths include a single-vehicle rollover on State Route 160 during the morning hours of the last Wednesday in January that killed one person and injured another.

Then, into February, two pedestrians were killed in less than three days.

Advertisement
Pahrump Roads.jpg

The first was a 7 p.m. crash on Quarter Horse Avenue. Investigators believe a 2006 Jeep Liberty was driving on the street when it hit a pedestrian, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A few days later, this last Saturday, state troopers responded to a crash just after sundown at Charleston Park Avenue. A sedan hit a pedestrian, who was also pronounced dead at the scene.

Pahrump Roads.jpg

Nevada State Police investigators are still investigating both pedestrian cases before more details are released.

McGill said the recent crashes were enough to spur action.

“When the third one came out, I was sitting at home and watching TV. I looked at my wife and I said, ‘We got to do something about this,’” McGill said.

McGill is responding with a reflective vest giveaway, pointing to limited infrastructure as a possible factor. He noted a lack of street lights off State Route 160 and no sidewalks inside the community.

“The only light that you have is the ambient light from houses and cars so it is really dark,” McGill said.

Advertisement
Pahrump Roads.jpg

John Treanor of AAA Nevada said poor visibility can quickly turn dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.

“It is very easy to be confronted with a situation that you cannot see coming because the visibility might be bad,” Treanor said.

Treanor encouraged pedestrians to carry lights and drivers to be prepared if they end up outside their vehicles in dark conditions.

“Having lights on you. Even carrying a flashlight allows something where a driver can see it,” Treanor said. “If you are a driver, make sure you have the right stuff in your car, in case you do get in a situation where you are on the side of the road and now you are in dark. Make sure you have a kit with some reflectors, some lights. Anything the trunk of your car in case you need it.”

Pahrump Roads.jpg

McGill said vigilance is important even in daylight.

“Any time of the day, you have got to be vigilant. You have to keep aware of your surroundings if you are a walker or on a bicycle or if you are the driver,” he said.

Authorities also urged caution as more people may pull off roads in rocky areas along the route toward Death Valley National Park during springtime blooms, increasing the need for drivers and pedestrians to stay alert.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Nevada

Mansion on the Nevada Side of Lake Tahoe Swiftly Sells for $46 Million

Published

on

Mansion on the Nevada Side of Lake Tahoe Swiftly Sells for  Million


A waterfront mansion on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe just sold for $46 million, less than three weeks after hitting the market. 

The speedy deal marks a departure from the typical U.S. market.

Nationwide, homes took a median 78 days to land a buyer in January, five more than the same time last year and the 22nd straight month of homes taking longer to sell on a year-over-year basis, according to data from Realtor.com. 

Mansion Global Boutique: Book Lovers Rejoice: 8 Must-Haves To Build Your Perfect Reading Nook

Advertisement

The lavish log cabin-like residence, in Incline Village, listed on Jan. 24 for $47.5 million. It sold 20 days later, on Feb. 13, listing records show. 

The more than 7,000-square-foot residence was built in 2014, and has double-height living spaces, walls of windows, beamed ceilings, fireplaces, and plenty of rustic exposed stone and wood, listing images show. 

Advertisement – Scroll to Continue

There’s also a gym, a wet bar, a spa, a wine room, an office, two separate game rooms, seven bedrooms and dramatic Lake Tahoe views. Outside, there’s a private sandy beach, multiple decks, a heated driveway and two exterior fireplaces, according to listing information. 

MORE: Visited by Kings and Larger Than Manhattan, Giant Scottish Estate Asks £67 Million

Advertisement

The seller and the buyer are both limited liability companies, according to property records. Both parties were represented by Jeff Brown of Tahoe Mountain Realty, who declined to comment on the deal. 

The median home price in Incline Village was $1.595 million as of December, a fall of 3.3% from a year earlier, according to data from Realtor.com. Listings, meanwhile, spent an average of 130 days on the market. 



Source link

Continue Reading

Nevada

Green Valley edges Liberty in Class 5A softball — PHOTOS

Published

on

Green Valley edges Liberty in Class 5A softball — PHOTOS