In Florida, a 2012 World Series of Poker bracelet winner was arrested on multiple charges of fraud and money laundering related to a sports wagering racket. Per a report from ESPN at the end of May, Corey Zeidman of Boca Raton faces numerous federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire and fraud to conspiracy to commit money laundering. These charges stem from a scheme that Zeidman allegedly orchestrated from 2004 to 2020. The main crux of the operation centered around a service that had information relating to fixed sporting games that prospective gamblers could utilize.
In this article from SBS, we will go over more details of this operation and also more information on wagering in Florida.
According to the report from David Purdum of ESPN, Zeidman and his associates received more than $25 million in wire transfers and commercial carriers over the course of 16 years from victims. Per a federal indictment that came out the third week of May, victims of this scheme were led to believe that this “white-collar” organization had privileged information that made sports betting on certain events a “no-risk proposition.” In this case, listeners of radio ads placed by the organization were put in touch with professional-sounding groups like “Gordon Howard Global.” For a fee, callers were then given the opportunity to learn about “privileged information” about fixed games the fraudulent company had received from physicians at colleges along with television executives.
According to the two-count indictment out of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Zeidman, 61, spearheaded this scheme from 2004 to 2020.
In the same article, Purdum had some quotes from Homeland Security Investigations agents regarding the arrest.
“As alleged, Zeidman preyed on individuals who were led to believe he had inside information that would lead them to easy money,” Homeland Security Investigations New York special agent Ricky J. Patel said in a release relating to the initial arrest. “In reality, he was selling nothing but lies and misinformation – bilking millions from victims along the way, leaving their lives in financial ruin and their bank accounts empty.”
Moreover, United State Attorney Breon Pearce shared in a statement that Zeidman deliberately “defrauded” his victims on numerous occasions. Pearce also said that Zeidman persuaded them to “drain their retirement accounts to invest in his bogus sports betting group, all so he could spend it on international vacations, a multi-million dollar residence and poker tournaments.”
Indeed it would appear that Zeidman’s “sophisticated white-collar approach to gathering sports information” is at an end. Now it remains to be seen what his legal proceedings will look like, which will no doubt feature a lot of lawyers and paperwork.
If you are interested in learning more about the different news coming out of the Sunshine State, make sure to check out our Florida sports wagering guide. On this handy page, you can find all kinds of great info related to betting in Florida, along with an awesome catalog on welcome bonuses if you so desire. On the topic of bonuses, SBS has done a lot of the heavy lifting for you by putting together our welcome bonus overview page, which goes over all the latest ways to maximize your bets. Also, if you are someone that is always on the go, then our detailed breakdown on mobile wagering is a fantastic resource for everything regarding placing bets on your mobile device.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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