FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
JULY 10, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ROCKVILLE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO MONEY LAUNDERING IN CONNECTION WITH ILLEGAL GAMBLING BUSINESS
Greenbelt, Maryland - Howard Meyers, age 59, of Rockville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with an illegal gambling business which he operated, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Meyers was scheduled to go to trial today on these and other related charges.
According to the plea agreement presented to the court, from October 2003 to May 2004 Meyers operated an illegal gambling business that solicited prospective bettors from the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas and provided them with pamphlets and advertisements containing information about the bookmaking operation. The defendant and other members of the organization also provided prospective bettors with a code number, a password, a toll-free telephone number for an offshore wire room located in Dominica identified as World Wide Wagering, Inc., and an Internet website address and directed the bettors to place their wagers for sporting events with the offshore wire room. This offshore wire room accepted wagers for almost every sporting event including, professional and college football games, professional and college basketball games, horse racing and professional golf. Every week, Meyers was advised by the offshore wire room of the results from the previous week’s gambling activities and Meyers disseminated that information to others. Meyers would then meet with the bettors to “settle up.” When the bettors were entitled to payment, Meyers paid the bettors in cash. When the bettors owed money, Meyers directed the bettors to pay in cash or by check. Meyers would then cash or have coconspirator Alvin Kotz cash the checks at University Liquors, a retail liquor store in Hyattsville, Maryland.
From October 2003 to May 2004 Meyers and his coconspirators caused more than $150,000 in gambling proceeds to be cashed at University Liquors and later deposited into a bank account at Branch Banking and Trust bank in the name of University Liquors.
Kotz, age 72, of Potomac, Maryland pleaded guilty to money laundering and conducting an illegal gambling business and was sentenced to three years in prison. The investigation of this internet gambling business also resulted in the convictions of Herbert David Meyers, age 62 of Potomac, Maryland; Robert Levine, age 70, of Montgomery Village, Maryland; Steven Levine, age 46, of Winter Springs, Florida; Stuart Weinstein, age 56 of Baltimore, Maryland; and David McGowan, age 71 of Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Meyers faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. has scheduled sentencing for August 30, 2007.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the Montgomery County Department of Police and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Foreman and Emily Glatfelter, who are prosecuting the case.