An operative for the now shut down online sports betting operator Legendz Sports has agreed to waive grand jury indictment and instead plead guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering stemming from his role in the illegal sports betting operation.
52-year old Philip Gurian worked for Legendz Sports and was one of the 34 individuals indicted by the US Department of Justice last April for their roles in offering online and telephone sports betting services from Costa Rica and Panama to a player base consisting almost exclusively of US residents.
Gurian’s role in the Legendz operation involved him having numerous individuals working for him as they allegedly collected and distributed wagering money within the US on behalf of more than 40 sports betting operations throughout the country. The man was also described as a “master agent” and reportedly had people from 10 different states, on top of six other countries, working for him.
But with a bleak future that could potentially include years of his life behind bars, Gurian and his attorneys worked out a deal with state prosecutors where he is expected to receive a sentence from anywhere between 15 to 24 months. An agreement was also originally made by both sides to keep Gurian under house arrest until his February sentencing, but the judge handling the case, Judge Mae D’Agostino, apparently believed that Gurian was still capable of fleeing when given the opportunity, a reputation that was crafted thanks to Gurian’s history of fleeing the country – he’s done it twice before, apparently – when faced with criminal and civil allegations.
“I feel if I were to order him to be released I would not see him again,” D’Agostino said, as quoted by WNYT.
So Gurian will continue stay behind bars where he has stayed since the arrests were made back in April. He’s probably accustomed to it by now and he’s going to need to because he’ll be staying there in the foreseeable future.
