A key witness in the illegal sports betting case against Las Vegas gambler William West Roberts was paid between $5,000 and $6,000 by law enforcement after secretly recording meetings with him, according to grand jury transcripts. The witness, Pietro Ventrella, said he placed bets through Roberts and was instructed to meet with him by the FBI.
Roberts is accused by the Nevada Gaming Control Board of operating an illegal bookmaking operation involving about $8 million in bets at Nevada sportsbooks and an offshore website based in Costa Rica. He faces charges including felony operating a gaming establishment without a license, unlawful receipt of compensation for accepting bets, attempting to launder money, and accepting unlawful wagers.
Defense attorney Chris Rasmussen said Roberts is innocent and that the government payment to Ventrella, along with the aggressive nature of the investigation, amounts to entrapment. Rasmussen said investigators came to Roberts’ gym and went through his wife to try to talk to him about sports betting.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Austin Beaumont, who is prosecuting the case, said the payment to the witness was proper, stating it is not unusual to provide nominal compensation for undercover work by confidential sources working with the FBI. The FBI and Control Board declined comment on the story.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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