LawFuel – Legal Newswire – LEV L. DASSIN, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and MARK J. MERSHON, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(“FBI”), announced that ANURAG DIKSHIT — a founder and former
officer and director of PartyGaming PLC, an internet gambling
business — pleaded guilty today before United States District
Judge JED S. RAKOFF to charges that he used the wires to transmit
in interstate and foreign commerce bets and wagering information.
As alleged in the documents filed and statements made during
DIKSHIT’s plea allocution in Manhattan federal court, and as set
forth in DIKSHIT’s plea agreement with the Government:
From about 1997 through October 2006, PartyGaming PLC,
a Gibraltar corporation, and its predecessor and affiliated
corporate entities (collectively “PartyGaming”), operated an
Internet gambling business which offered casino and poker games,
among other games of chance, to customers who wished to gamble
online. During that time a substantial majority of PartyGaming’s
online gambling customers — who accounted for approximately 85%
of PartyGaming’s revenue in 2005 — were located in the United
States, including the Southern District of New York. ANURAG
DIKSHIT developed a proprietary software platform for PartyGaming
and directed PartyGaming’s computer operations from approximately
1998 through October 2006. From 1999 through October 2006,
DIKSHIT was a principal shareholder of PartyGaming and, at
various times, served as a PartyGaming corporate officer and
director.
DIKSHIT pleaded guilty to one count of using the wires
to transmit bets and wagering information in interstate commerce.
DIKSHIT, 37, faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison and a
fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the
offense.
In addition, DIKSHIT admitted to forfeiture allegations
requiring him to forfeit $300 million, and agreed with the
Government to pay $100 million at the time of the signing of his
plea agreement; another $100 million within 3 months of the date
of his guilty plea; and the final $100 millon prior to the
defendant’s sentencing or September 30, 2009, whichever is
earlier. DIKSHIT has already paid the first $100 million
installment of this forfeiture.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2010 before
Judge RAKOFF.
Mr. DASSIN praised the investigative work of the FBI in
this case.
Assistant United States Attorneys JONATHAN B. NEW, ARLO
DEVLIN-BROWN, and SHARON COHEN LEVIN are in charge of the
prosecution.
08-331 ###
