What do Mafia legend John Gotti, subway vigilante Bernhard Goetz; and Calvin Ayre all have in common? These three notorious figures have all sought the counsel of legendary New York attorney Barry I. Slotnick.
Slotnick, his son Stuart and four other legal all-stars from the firm of Buchannan Ingersoll & Rooney PC have all been retained to assist in Ayre’s defense against gambling and money laundering charges.
Spoiling for a Fight
Ayre’s choice of legal representation is good indication of how vigorously he plans on fighting the charges against him. Slotnick and company are big dogs and have plenty of experience with high profile cases like Bodog vs. Maryland.
Sports betting affiliates might recall that Slotnick was instrumental in negotiating a deal between Sportingbet and the Department of Justice. Sportingbet settled up gambling charges with the DOJ to the tune of $33 million back in 2010. Under the terms of that deal, the company will be allowed to re-enter the U.S. market should legal online gaming come to pass.
Deal or No Deal
Whether Ayre is looking for, or would be eligible for, a similar deal remains to be seen. The bad boy of online gaming has taken delight in thumbing his nose at the DOJ and they’ve likely got a serious interest in reining him in.
When Will Online Poker Be Legal?
For his part, Ayre maintains that the allegations in the Maryland case have merit since they took place after he licensed the Bodog brand to the Morris Mohawk Gaming Group.
More Drama to Come
There’s no word on what’s next for Ayre and his legal dream team but it seems certain that plenty of behind-the-scenes negotiations will take place in the weeks and months to come.
If you were placing a bet, you might like Ayre’s chances of skating from these charges based on Slotnick’s track record alone.
Remember, Gotti earned his nickname, The Teflon Don, after Slotnick secured his acquittal at his first trial. Goetz beat multiple counts of attempted murder and spent only six months in jail on weapons charges after seriously wounding four men in the famous Subway Vigilante case.
Keep your eyes on CAP for continuing coverage of this case.
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