It is not uncommon in the United States for underground gambling to occur. From poker to table games, the criminal world as well as white collar all tend to participate in illegal gambling schemes from time to time. Just this week, the New York City Police Department made several arrests after busting up an underground poker operation. A total of 32 people were arrested in connection with a poker operation that used Meetup.com to get together.
The charges the group faced included narcotics, gambling and money laundering. The head of the scheme was reportedly David Diaz, a 52 year old of New York City. He was allegedly involved in running the poker and drug side of the business. Drugs connected to the scheme included Xanax, cocaine and marijuana.
During the arrests, certain items were seized by police. Included in the mix were poker chips and cards along with several drugs, including cocaine. The court allowed for nineteen locations to be searched via the investigation.
The poker room being used was located near the Avenue of Americas and the West 11th Street of the West Village. During the investigation, at least one officer was working undercover and was allowed to participate in the game. wiretapping was then used to find out more information about the drug ring as it stretched across the US.
The poker room was reportedly frequented by professionals of New York City and several undercover drug sales took place within the vicinity of the poker gaming location. The poker side would offer games from 4pm until 4am, with two floors of the property offering gaming options. As many as 30 poker players could take part in gaming on one night. Buy-ins ranged from $200 to $500.
An individual named Geeta Singh has been named as the promotor and manager of the poker room. Singh would promote the games from her residence in Atlanta, Georgia.
About the Author
