Areas of Expertise
3031 stories by Philip Conneller
Hard Rock Tampa: ISIS Acolyte Who Planned Mass Shooting Gets 18 Years
Florida-based ISIS supporter Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari wanted to carry out a mass shooting in Tampa, and his list of possible targets in the city included the Seminole Hard Rock Casino, according to prosecutors. On Thursday, he was sentenced to 18 years in...
Las Vegas Rogue Cop ‘Plotted Red Rock Robbery with Brother’
Caleb Rogers, the Las Vegas Metro Police officer on trial for armed robbery, planned his first casino heist with his younger brother, a federal court has heard. That was according to Josiah Rogers who testified against his brother for several hours Thursday...
Kansas City Chiefs ‘Superfan’ Robbed Banks, Laundered Cash, Feds Say
A Kansas City Chiefs “super fan” who goes by the name @ChiefsAholic and attends games dressed as a wolf has been arrested in connection with a string of bank robberies. Xaviar Michael Babudar, 28, is suspected of hitting banks across the Midwest,...
Alleged College Baseball Bettor was Clumsy, Reckless, Reports Claim
The youth league baseball coach at the center of the University of Alabama insider betting scandal stuck out like a sore thumb when he tried to bet over 100K in cash on the Crimson Tide to lose to LSU. That’s according to...
Las Vegas ‘Rogue Cop’ Goes on Trial for Armed Casino Robberies
The trial of Las Vegas police officer Caleb Rogers, accused of robbing three casinos with his department-issued revolver, kicks off in a federal court Monday. Prosecutors say Rogers stole nearly $165K during the series of heists at the Red Rock, the Aliante, and...
Maine’s Chief Gambling Regulator Back at Work After ‘Offensive’ Tweets
Maine’s chief gambling regulator returned to work Monday after serving a weeklong suspension without pay. The penalty was for tweeting out a sexist slur and a dubious comment about a white nationalist march. Milton Champion’s social media antics were found to have...
Alleged Circa Imposter Charged with Similar Con at Eureka Mesquite
A Las Vegas man arrested on June 18 for bilking Circa out of $1.17 million, allegedly by pretending to be one of the casino’s owners, may have attempted similarly audacious scams at other Nevada casinos. Prior to the Circa heist, Erik Gutierrez...
Las Vegas Police Arrest ‘Reckless Rider’ Who Rode Dirt Bike Through Casinos
Las Vegas police said Thursday they arrested a man on suspicion of riding a dirt bike through the gaming floors of “multiple casinos,” and up and down stairs and escalators. He is also accused of “doing wheelies” along Las Vegas Boulevard. Police...
Seven Clans Casino Dealer Dies in Red Lake Nation Jail, Sparking Anger
The family of a table-game dealer at the Seven Clans Casino in Thief River Falls, Minn., is demanding to know why she was left to die of a suspected drug overdose while incarcerated at the nearby Red Lake Detention Center. Dwan White...
Maine Gov. Janet Mills Vetoes Bill to Give Wabanaki Tribes Federal Rights
Maine’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has vetoed legislation that would have afforded the state’s tribes greater access to federal beneficial laws. Mills’ rejection of the bill (ID 2004) Friday occurred despite overwhelming bipartisan support in the House and Senate. The four Wabanaki...