Poker pro pleads guilty to bettor fraud scheme

A professional poker player pleaded guilty Wednesday to defrauding bettors in New York and Florida by falsely claiming to have inside information on sporting events.

Cory Zeidman of Boca Raton, Florida, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with a sports betting scheme that lasted for years, according to a news release from United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Federal authorities alleged that Zeidman and his partners misled customers to pay the organization for betting advice by claiming to have knowledge of nonpublic injury information, "dirty" referees and fixed games, according to court documents. The scheme lasted from 2006 to 2020.

"Sports bettors sought Cory Zeidman's advice before gambling their money -- but it was Zeidman himself who was scoring big through his deceptive practices, outright lies, and high-pressure tactics that exploited unsuspecting clients," special agent Charles Walker of Homeland Security in New York said in the release.

Zeidman's organization ran national radio advertisements under fake names such as "Gordon Howard Global" and "Ray Palmer Group." When potential customers contacted the services, they were told the organization had privileged information about fixed games that it received from physicians at colleges and television executives, according to the initial indictment.

"Zeidman and his partners baited unsuspecting victims with false claims of an edge in sports betting only to feed them lies and pocket millions of dollars," U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in the release.

Individuals believed to have been a victim of the alleged crimes are asked to contact Homeland Security Investigations.

Zeidman is a well-known poker pro who won a bracelet at the 2012 World Series of Poker.