Professional poker player Cory Zeidman plead guilty in a New York courtroom earlier this week to charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in a scheme involving false sports betting tips. Zeidman, a resident of Long Island, and his co-conspirators ran a ring that falsely claimed to provide sports bettors with inside information that supposedly was not available to the public while charging large fees for their services.
Zeidman and his partners ran the scheme in broad daylight and even advertised their services in radio and internet advertisements. They promised their customers that they had insider information on supposedly dirty referees and fixed games. Unfortunately for their clients, their entire operation was based on a mountain of lies. In reality, Zeidman was just pulling his insider tips from thin air.
Homeland Security Investigations New York Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker described the scheme in a press release saying, “Sports bettors sought Corey Zeidman’s advice before gambling their money— but it was Zeidman himself who was scoring big through his deceptive practices, outright lies, and high-pressure tactics that exploited unsuspecting clients.”
Daniel B. Brubaker, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service celebrated Zeidman’s guilty plea saying, “Today’s guilty plea is proof that this individual gambled and lost when he thought his illegal activities would fly under the radar. Illegal gambling is not a victimless crime, Zeidman and his partners were able defraud so many individuals with their lies and had them pay these exorbitant fees for nothing. USPIS will continue to investigate individuals who are intentionally skirting federal regulations for their own selfish desires.
Any of Zeidman’s victims are urged to contact the Department of Homeland Security. Zeidman himself is facing up to 20 years in prison and a $3 million fine when he is sentenced