Molly Bloom hosted an interesting group including celebrities to high stakes poker games. Among those invited were a Russian mob boss once associated with an Olympic scandal and an artsy type linked to Leonardo DiCaprio.
U.S. authorities claim that these folks are involved in a scheme developed by two related Russian-American organized crime enterprises. Within the last few years, prosecutors say that the group has laundered a minimum of $100 million in illegal gambling profits via hundreds of bank accounts and shell companies based in Cyprus and the United States.
The case involves over 30 defendants.
"We're seeing higher-rolling businessmen involved in these types of cases”, said Mark Galeotti, a Russian organized crime expert at New York University. The high rollers' bookies have the responsibility "of trying to figure out what to do with suitcases full of cash, and that leads to the money laundering," he added.
U.S. investigators are following the money trail which has led them to the discovery of a related scheme involving a Manhattan art gallery and big money illegal card games in New York City.
Investigations continue but prosecutors say that millions of dollars have been laundered to finance gambling. A trial is set for next year.
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