All three guys get house arrest for violation of the Wire Wager Act. How can you tout and not be in violation of this act?
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Three get probation for roles in gambling ring
By KRISTEN ZAMBO, klzambo@naplesnews.com
August 10, 2004
The first of three Southwest Florida men accused of working for an illegal sports betting operation were sentenced Monday to probation for their roles in the ring.
Former Kansas City Royals baseball player Todd R. Meady, 27, of Cape Coral; his brother-in-law, Christopher Paraldi, 27, of Cape Coral; and Tampa resident John Dominick Tartaglione, 32, previously of Fort Myers, each received three years of probation from U.S. District Judge John E. Steele.
The men were accused in the spring of conspiracy to violate the Wire Wager Act by working for two south Fort Myers companies that doled out sports betting advice and illegally referred clients to offshore casinos to place their bets.
"I did something wrong," Meady told Steele in court Monday. "I accept responsibility for my actions."
The sports gambling ring is considered to be the largest of its kind in Lee County history. Prosecutors say staffs at Player's Edge Inc. and National Sports Consultants gave bettors tips on which bets to place and at which betting parlors, referring customers to offshore casinos in the West Antilles and Costa Rica.
The casinos reported back to the companies with detailed accountings of which teams their clients bet on and the wager amounts and provided the companies with customers' account balances, according to the federal indictment. Player's Edge and National Sports Consultants then received money back from these casinos — about $70,000 a month in advertising costs — after clients placed their bets with these casinos.
College-educated Tartaglione worked as a stock broker before joining the gambling operation, said his attorney, Scott Moorey. When the stock market took a dive, Tartaglione decided to try the more lucrative betting service. He worked there in telephone solicitations and gave sports betting advice. He owned a 2.5 percent share of National Sports Consultants, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Barclift said.
Moorey said he told Tartaglione when he joined National Sports Consultants what services he legally could provide, but Tartaglione was misled by his bosses who told him he wouldn't be breaking the law, Moorey said.
"I've always been an outstanding citizen," Tartaglione said in court. "Clearly, I made a decision that was disastrous. I want to apologize to my family, particularly my wife and my kids."
Tartaglione, who pleaded guilty in May, also was sentenced to 180 days of house arrest. He could have received between six months to one year in jail. Meady also was sentenced to 180 days of house arrest, but his punishment won't start for three weeks, Steele ruled, so Meady may finish doing rehabilitation work on his home. He also must complete 25 hours of community service.
Meady joined the Kansas City Royals as a pitcher in 1995 after he was a 12th-round draft pick selected from Milford Academy High School in Connecticut, according to Major League Baseball draft records. Meady joined National Sports Consultants about 20 months ago, after he injured his shoulder, said his attorney, Peter Aiken.
Paraldi, Meady's brother-in-law, was working for the company and helped Meady start as a phone solicitor. Meady worked his way up to a salesman and blew a $40,000 college scholarship, Aiken said, because he was making so much money selling insider betting tips that weren't based on insider information.
Paraldi, who now works as a loan officer, said he was assured by company owners that their attorneys said their actions were legal. However, staff lied to clients about the validity of their betting advice and he knew that was wrong, he told Steele.
He said he knew there "was too much money going on too easy," Paraldi's attorney, Lee Hollander, said. "He's a grown adult, judge. He knew what was up."
Paraldi, who owned 2.5 percent of the company, also was sentenced to 180 days of house arrest and must complete 25 hours of community service.
Of the 14 men charged this spring with conspiracy to violate the Wire Wager Act and operating an illegal sports gambling operation, all but three have agreed to plead guilty. Another co-defendant, Jai Pasquale, 28, of Fort Myers, agreed Monday to plead guilty in a deal with prosecutors. His plea hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today.
PRINT THIS STORY | E-MAIL THIS STORY
Three get probation for roles in gambling ring
By KRISTEN ZAMBO, klzambo@naplesnews.com
August 10, 2004
The first of three Southwest Florida men accused of working for an illegal sports betting operation were sentenced Monday to probation for their roles in the ring.
Former Kansas City Royals baseball player Todd R. Meady, 27, of Cape Coral; his brother-in-law, Christopher Paraldi, 27, of Cape Coral; and Tampa resident John Dominick Tartaglione, 32, previously of Fort Myers, each received three years of probation from U.S. District Judge John E. Steele.
The men were accused in the spring of conspiracy to violate the Wire Wager Act by working for two south Fort Myers companies that doled out sports betting advice and illegally referred clients to offshore casinos to place their bets.
"I did something wrong," Meady told Steele in court Monday. "I accept responsibility for my actions."
The sports gambling ring is considered to be the largest of its kind in Lee County history. Prosecutors say staffs at Player's Edge Inc. and National Sports Consultants gave bettors tips on which bets to place and at which betting parlors, referring customers to offshore casinos in the West Antilles and Costa Rica.
The casinos reported back to the companies with detailed accountings of which teams their clients bet on and the wager amounts and provided the companies with customers' account balances, according to the federal indictment. Player's Edge and National Sports Consultants then received money back from these casinos — about $70,000 a month in advertising costs — after clients placed their bets with these casinos.
College-educated Tartaglione worked as a stock broker before joining the gambling operation, said his attorney, Scott Moorey. When the stock market took a dive, Tartaglione decided to try the more lucrative betting service. He worked there in telephone solicitations and gave sports betting advice. He owned a 2.5 percent share of National Sports Consultants, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Barclift said.
Moorey said he told Tartaglione when he joined National Sports Consultants what services he legally could provide, but Tartaglione was misled by his bosses who told him he wouldn't be breaking the law, Moorey said.
"I've always been an outstanding citizen," Tartaglione said in court. "Clearly, I made a decision that was disastrous. I want to apologize to my family, particularly my wife and my kids."
Tartaglione, who pleaded guilty in May, also was sentenced to 180 days of house arrest. He could have received between six months to one year in jail. Meady also was sentenced to 180 days of house arrest, but his punishment won't start for three weeks, Steele ruled, so Meady may finish doing rehabilitation work on his home. He also must complete 25 hours of community service.
Meady joined the Kansas City Royals as a pitcher in 1995 after he was a 12th-round draft pick selected from Milford Academy High School in Connecticut, according to Major League Baseball draft records. Meady joined National Sports Consultants about 20 months ago, after he injured his shoulder, said his attorney, Peter Aiken.
Paraldi, Meady's brother-in-law, was working for the company and helped Meady start as a phone solicitor. Meady worked his way up to a salesman and blew a $40,000 college scholarship, Aiken said, because he was making so much money selling insider betting tips that weren't based on insider information.
Paraldi, who now works as a loan officer, said he was assured by company owners that their attorneys said their actions were legal. However, staff lied to clients about the validity of their betting advice and he knew that was wrong, he told Steele.
He said he knew there "was too much money going on too easy," Paraldi's attorney, Lee Hollander, said. "He's a grown adult, judge. He knew what was up."
Paraldi, who owned 2.5 percent of the company, also was sentenced to 180 days of house arrest and must complete 25 hours of community service.
Of the 14 men charged this spring with conspiracy to violate the Wire Wager Act and operating an illegal sports gambling operation, all but three have agreed to plead guilty. Another co-defendant, Jai Pasquale, 28, of Fort Myers, agreed Monday to plead guilty in a deal with prosecutors. His plea hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today.
