According to the Los Angeles Times, five men pleaded guilty to what are deemed federal crimes for taking part in an illegal sports betting operation in Southern California. The men allegedly took bets from professional athletes as part of the ring’s operations.
The man who stood at the head of the ring is 45-year-old Wayne Nix who played as a pitcher in the Oakland Athletics minor league system.
Court papers show that Nix is accused of using his professional sports contacts to build a gambling business, starting around two decades ago. Nix allegedly added professional athletes to his list of clients and expanded until he became a major enterprise.
Three ex-MLB players acted as agents who would recruit bettors and direct them to a Costa Rica-based betting company, Sand Island Sports. Players opened accounts at the site and placed bets on the outcome of major sporting events.
Some of the things that Nix is accused of:
- Allowing a client to place a $5 million wager on the 2019 Super Bowl in Atlanta.
- Allowing the business manager of a professional basketball player to bet $25,000 on NBA games.
- Receiving $245,000 from a professional football player to cover gambling losses.
Federal agents tapped Nixs phones after informants provided information about his business. He is now being accused of running an illegal gambling business and failing to report taxes.
The investigation is ongoing.