Brooklyn man charged for operating sports wagering business

A Brooklyn, Ohio, man faces charges related to his operation of a sports wagering business,   said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Jay Jacobs, 63, was charged via criminal information with one count of transmission of wagering information and one count of money laundering.

Jacobs engaged in the business of betting and wagering between 2009 and 2012. He used communication facilities in interstate commerce to transmit bets, wagers and information assisting in the placing of bets and wagers on sporting events and contests, according to the information.

He also engaged in monetary transactions derived from unlawful activity. On August 31, 2010, he transferred $20,000 from his Fire Fighters Community Credit Union account to his TD Ameritrade account, according to the information.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Patton following an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service’s Money Laundering Task Force, which is comprised of representatives from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, Ohio Investigative Unit, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Cleveland Division of Police and the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

A charge is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.