Robert Gorodetsky Pleads Guilty in $9.6million Sportsbetting Fraud

4 years ago
Robert Gorodetsky Pleads Guilty in $9.6million Sportsbetting Fraud
09:01
11 Feb

An infamous sportsbetter who was regularly seen with celebrities - Drake and Odell Beckham Jr among them - has this week pleaded guilty to wire fraud, Robert Gorodetsky admitting to scamming $9.6million from a single investor over 4 years.

27-year old Chicago resident Gorodetsky hit the headlines back in 2017 when he was featured in USAToday and bragged of betting $27million on sports that year.

It all came crashing down this week however, the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago hearing that he had scammed $millions from an investor, known only as Individual A.

The dastardly scheme Gorodetsky devised began back in February 2014 when he persuaded Individual A to hand over $953,000, promising to add his own money to it and make stock market investments.

Instead, Gorodetsky used less than a quarter of it for trading, the rest - some $731,000 - being put to “personal use”. He later lied to his investor, claiming the investment had grown to $2million, when it had actually fallen to a third of its value.

Gorodetsky, who was described in the USA Today profile as “one of the most compelling and controversial, albeit largely unknown, figures in sports” was often pictured with celebrities, Drake and David Beckham’s son Odell Jr among them.

What nobody knew at the time was that his millionaire lifestyle was being funded by his scamming – a further $8.74 million from his investor intended for sportsbetting actually spent on “luxury automobiles and jewelry” as well as “living, travel and entertainment expenses”.


Gorodetsky also pleaded guilty to a single count of filing a false tax return, filing a return for just $10,520 in 2016 despite having conned $2.5million from his investor during that time period.

It was claimed that $7.1million of the total $9.6million was to his “personal benefit” rather than the claimed investments and sportsbetting.

Gorodetsky has some poker previous, picking up $98,820 for a 10th place in the 2016 PCA High Roller as well as a few other smaller cashes over the years.

Now facing up to 6 years in prison, Gorodetsky will be sentenced on April 29th.


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Andrew from Edinburgh, Scotland, is a professional journalist, international-titled chess master, and avid poker player.Read more

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