53 year old Vadim Trincher, a professional poker player, has copped a guilty plea yesterday to running an illegal and very lucrative sports wagering ring out of his residence on Trump Tower condo in New York. The operation catered to high rollers in the United States, Ukraine and Russia but also had an extensive list of Hollywood celebrities as customers, including such famous names as Leonardo DiCaprio and Alex Rodriguez.
Trincher pleaded guilty in a Manhattan federal court to accounts of money laundering and illegal sports betting, focused mainly on international football games. He stands to face up to 27 months in prison and will very likely lose millions of dollars in forfeited properties in the USA. When asked to make a statement, Trincher told judge Jesse Furman: “As a member of an enterprise, I agreed to conduct this business [from 2006 to earlier this year] and receive sports bets in New York City”.