3703 stories by Philip Conneller
‘Last Mafia Godfather’ Matteo Messina Denaro Dead at 61
Matteo Messina Denaro, believed to be the "capo di tutti capi," the boss of all bosses of the Sicilian Mafia, has died at age 61. Dubbed “the last Godfather” by the media, he was Italy’s most wanted man for 20 years before...
Natalee Holloway Suspect ‘Took Care of Things’ After Disappearance
Dutch national Joran van der Sloot, the one-time poker player and the prime suspect in the disappearance of American Natalee Holloway, once made a startling “confession” to a friend, new court filings show. Two days after Holloway went missing on the island...
Crockfords Casino, UK’s Oldest Gaming Club, at Risk of Closure
The future of Crockfords Casino, which claims to be the UK’s oldest gaming venue and is certainly one of its swankiest, hangs in the balance. The current owner, Malaysia’s Genting Group, has initiated a 30-day “consultation process” with its staff as it...
Poker Player Bluffed Terminal Cancer to Get WSOP Buy-In
A Vallejo, California man has admitted that he lied about having terminal colon cancer to raise the $10K buy-in to the World Series of Poker Main Event. Poker player Rob Mercer, 37, made $12,500 from a GoFundMe page and is believed to...
$2B Powerball Jackpot Plaintiff Says He’s Receiving Death Threats
An Altadena, Calif. man who claims he is the rightful recipient of the biggest lottery prize ever awarded says he has been dealing with death threats since suing the official winner. Jose Rivera claims the $2.08 billion-winning Powerball ticket was stolen from...
Circa Casino ‘Imposter Scammer’ Pleads Guilty in $1.1M Heist
A man accused of stealing more than $1 million from Circa Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas by pretending to be one of its owners pleaded guilty Monday to one count of theft of more than $100K. Erik Gutierrez Martinez, 24,...
Missouri Man Shot Dad Dead, Hit Casino with Stolen Credit Cards
A Lake Saint Louis, Mo. man suspected of shooting his father dead went to the Ameristar Casino St. Charles with the victim’s credit card right after the alleged crime, The St.Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Joseph M. Liszewski, 39, was charged with first-degree murder...
North Carolina GOP Unveils Standalone Casino Bill After Budget Fail
A new draft bill outlining proposed North Carolina casino expansion would authorize the creation of four casino licenses in the state, CBS17 reports. One of the new licenses will be reserved for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, which is recognized by...
‘Blackmailed’ English Soccer Manager Who Gambled $1M Unpunished by FA
An unnamed English pro soccer manager embroiled in an alleged blackmail case will not be sanctioned by the Football Association (FA), The Athletic reports. That’s despite court documents showing that he gambled £879,000 ($1million) across two years, losing £270,000. This included bets...
Bally’s Chicago ‘Mosque’ Casino Draws Mistaken Outrage
Bally’s Casino at Medinah Temple has been causing a stir among some Muslim social media users since it opened last Saturday. That's because of the misapprehension that it is a mosque. The casino, Chicago’s first, is temporary and will exist until Bally’s...
