ï»¿Billy Walters Received Insider Information Via ‘Bat Phone,’ Jury Hears

Former president of Dean Foods Thomas Davis told a Manhattan court that is federal Tuesday that he regularly shared privileged insider information concerning the company with Vegas sports betting legend Billy Walters.

Sports Billy that is betting Walters multiple charges of wire fraud and securities fraud.The alleged source of insider information, his former buddy, Thomas Davis, testified against him this week.

The pair would specially communicate via designated prepaid cellphones that they called their ‘bat phones,’ Davis said.

Walters is on trial accused of profiting from illegal stock market trades on Dean Foods, A dallas-based company and one of the largest processors of milk in america.

It’s also alleged that Walters shared insider information, obtained from Davis, with their friends, including the golfer Phil Mickelson, who’s planned to be called as a witness for the protection.

Innocent Meeting

Davis said that the relationship had started ‘fairly innocently’ after the pair met at a California greens within the mid-nineties. He had been happy sufficient to own stock that is occasional tip into the hope he’d get some sports betting advice inturn, he said

However the nature of the relationship changed when Davis borrowed almost $1 million from Walters. After that, it ‘grew to a spot where I was a virtual conduit’ for inside information, he said.

‘I became indebted to him,’ he said. ‘He became more demanding of information.’

Davis said he offered Walter business secrets via the Bat mobile for over seven years, until 2014, including earnings information and upcoming transactions that are pivotal.

He gave testimony this week as part of a plea discount with federal prosecutors, after admitting charges including securities fraud and wire fraud.

Walters Made $40 Million on Trades

Davis initially denied involvement when he was approached by federal agents in 2014. Authorities’ suspicions was indeed aroused after it emerged Walters had made over $40 million on trades on Dean Foods over the years, including around $17 million between May 2012 and 2012 alone august.

The investigation was having on his family and himself after their visit, Davis threw his bat phone into a creek, he said, but later decided to come clean after he suffered a stroke and realized the impact.

‘I used very poor judgment and I also was scared to death that we had made some terrible mistakes and we wanted to cover it up,’ he said. ‘I lied to everybody.’

Mickelson is not charged having an offense, although he did return $1 million he received in 2012 on one of Walters’ trading guidelines.

Walters pleads not liable and their lawyer contends Davis is lying.

Alabama Legislators Attempt to Pass Everyday Fantasy Sports Bill

Proponents of legalizing Daily Fantasy Sports in Alabama are hoping a typically unlucky number turns their fortunes.

The state legislature is debating three various bills and if one passes, it could make them the state that is 13th the US to allow its residents to engage in DFS.

Alabama has three bills that are separate the legislature proposing that Daily Fantasy Sports be legalized. (Image: Associated Press)

Up until might 2016 residents were able to participate at sites such as Draft Kings and Fan Duel. Luther Strange, the attorney general turned US Senator, stated it was an activity that is illegal delivered cease and desist letters to the companies.

When someone clicked on web sites they did not see the landing page, but instead a message having said that, ‘We’re sorry, but your present location prohibits you from making deposits or playing on FanDuel.’

Fans straight away started to call their state representatives and senators to protest and urged them to take action.

Age Old Argument

The debate on DFS is whether it’s skill or gambling and the conversation has been lively.

Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) whom is sponsoring one of the bills said knowledge is the key to success in the contests. He told AL.com that it is far different than other types of wagering.

‘To me, I don’t see it as the same type of gambling that i am opposed to in yesteryear like the casino-type of gambling,’ Whatley said. ‘It’s about the abilities of picking teams that are playing once an or a couple times a week. time’

Alabama Citizens Action Program, an organization funded by churches that opposes gaming of any kind, is fiercely opposed to it.

‘It’s in contrast to league play or play that is season-long friends and family,’ Executive Director Joe Godfrey stated. ‘This is daily fantasy activities. It’s a big time gambling operation.’

Patterned After Neighbor’s Legislation

Of the three bills, HB 354 generally seems to have the most useful odds of passing. The legislation is modeled after a recently approved Mississippi law and would begin a plan that will regulate the industry.

Operators would have to cover a registration fee of $85,000 when they had more than 5,000 accounts and $10,000 if significantly less than that figure. The revenue tax would be six percent and companies would have to submit annual financial audits.

Other provisions could be an age restriction of 19 or older and contests could simply be on professional recreations.

Casino Smoking Bad for the physical Body, but No Smoking Bad for company, Harrah’s brand New Orleans Says

Casino smoking inside Harrah’s New Orleans was banned since April of 2015, and as the two-year anniversary of this regulation that is clean-air, representatives for the gambling venue are exposing just how high priced the ban was.

Harrah’s New Orleans would enjoy absolutely nothing more than to remove their no casino smoking signs, since the ban is drastically harming video gaming revenue. (Image: smokefreecasinos.org)

Smoking is unquestionably bad for the physical body, but no smoking cigarettes is apparently detrimental to business. That’s the tale being presented by Caesars Entertainment President Mark Frissora this week in Louisiana.

Speaking at the Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Task Force meeting on March 21, Frissora said Harrah’s New Orleans has lost nearly $70 million since the ban has been implemented.

The Caesars CEO pointed to $342 million in gaming revenue in 2014, followed by $307 million in 2015 and just $273 million in 2016 during a presentation. The annual decreases represent $35 million and $34 million for a loss that is total of69 million.

Caesars Entertainment myfreepokies.com is the moms and dad company to Harrah’s. As well as its New Orleans property, the company owns Horseshoe Bossier City and Harrah’s Louisiana Downs, both positioned in the northwestern area of the state.

Courtyard Gaming

Since 2007, all workplaces and restaurants in Louisiana have already been smoke-free, however the state law does not expand to casinos and bars. The Big Easy changed that two years ago.

All smoking and vaping inside casinos unlike the rest of Louisiana’s land-based and riverboat gaming venues where smoking remains legal, Harrah’s New Orleans is being forced to adhere to a city code that outlaws. Outdoor smoking cigarettes lounges were founded for patrons, but income almost immediately left the building too.

Meanwhile, video gaming income at casinos located beyond your populous city limits, the Boomtown brand New Orleans riverboat for example, has increased since 2015. ‘It’s maybe not fair because everyone else around us doesn’t have the smoking cigarettes ban,’ Frissora told the committee.

The city threw Harrah’s New Orleans a bone when the casino was allowed by it to include 63 slots in its smoker-friendly courtyard. But with losings totaling nearly $70 million in two years, that isn’t even one gaming machine per million dollars.

However, the designated video gaming courtyard is only the initial of three set to open.

Lighting a Fire

Smoking and gambling go together like America and apple pie, which explains why Louisiana Gaming Task Force Chairman Ronnie Jones thinks the ban is working against the intent behind having legalized gambling in New Orleans.

Harrah’s New Orleans has directed more than $1.2 billion in gaming taxes to the continuing state as it opened in 1999. It’s also paid $300 million in lease payments to the populous city, and raised over $8 million for Hurricane Katrina relief.

By all accounts, Harrah’s has become a partner that is strong New Orleans.

Harrah’s forecasts 2017 gaming profits can come in at $270 million, a cry that is far the $342 million it collected in 2014. ‘ I’m not a scientist, but I think the smoking ban had an impact,’ Jones explained.

While supporters of the clean-air code say the health of Harrah’s workers is more critical than the casino’s bottom line, Frissora explained he merely wishes a level regulatory playing field.

North Korea Casino Cruise Ship Invites Foreign Investors to Come Aboard

A North Korea casino ship is attempting to set sail through the Mount Kumgang tourist region to South Korea as well as other Asian countries. The Kumgang Special International Tourism Zone is really a unique section of the reclusive totalitarian country that is charged with raising tens of vast amounts for Kim Jong Un’s federal government.

Site Visitors permitted to enter the nation’s Mount Kumgang tourist region already arrive via ships, but now the separated regime wants foreigners to invest in a North Korea casino cruise line. (Image: Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Tourism and access that is outsider North Korea is heavily limited, but each 12 months a limited number of visitors are permitted under close supervision. Mount Kumgang is one area that is such can travel, and now the country is trying to debut a casino cruise to the destination.

But so that you can achieve this, North Korea is appealing to foreign investors in trying to raise $20 million for the project.

The country explains, ‘We are trying to diversify international tourism at the world-renowned Mount Kumgang in a proposal to potential investors in shoddy English. Utilizing the cruise ship, we will diversify tourism that is international of Kumgang, which will be famous mountain of world.’

‘The passenger ship are going to be equipped with different facilities to allow 1,000 travelers to complete social and travel that is safe the sea,’ the notice hypes.

Do not expect billionaires Steve Wynn or Sheldon Adelson in the future running.

‘we strongly question there will be foreign investors whom are willing to invest cash in North Korea,’ Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Southern Korea’s Kyungnam University, told London’s Financial instances.

North Behind NY Fed Heist?

According to sources talking to the Wall Street Journal, the United States believes North Korea was behind the successful $81 million cyber bank heist through the Federal Reserve Bank of the latest York last year. The funds were swindled through the Bangladesh account, with some associated with ill-gotten money being laundered through at least two gambling enterprises in the Philippines.

While the US remains beneath the impression that Chinese operatives carried out the hacking, the WSJ says federal authorities have actually explanation to credit the theft to North Korea.

On February 5, 2016, hackers scheduled transfers totaling almost $1 billion from the Bangladesh Central Bank for ‘international settlements’ set to be deposited into various accounts throughout the world. After $81 million was successfully withdrawn, an error that is spelling the interest of Deutsche Bank and prompted the economic institution to confirm the transaction with Bangladesh officials.

Instead of ‘Shalika Foundation,’ the recipient was spelled ‘Shalika Fandation.’

Headed Towards War?

The eyes of world leaders are fixated on North Korea, as the united states is reportedly near to releasing another nuclear test. Final month, Jong Un’s military conducted its first ballistic missiles test since President Donald Trump took office.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said the Obama management’s ‘wait-and-see’ approach is over in regards to North Korea. Jong Un has made no secret about his wishes to obtain or build a nuclear weapon capable of reaching the usa.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said this week that the situation is ‘grave and escalating.’ Yet another reason why few foreigners aren’t anticipated to be too keen on planning on a casino cruiseship in North Korea.