Argentine Court Freezes Assets Worth $5M in Probe into ‘Online Gambling Kingpin’

A court in the Argentine province of Buenos Aires has frozen almost $5 million worth of assets as part of an investigation into a suspected online gambling mastermind.

The Argentinian newspaper La Nación reported that the authorities in the city of Morón have formally charged and detained the suspect, the 54-year-old Roberto Javier Zuco, aged 54, on charges of orchestrating a “large-scale illegal online gambling operation.”

Zuco was arrested during a coordinated raid on three exclusive gated community properties on October 15.

The Morón federal judge Jorge Rodríguez reportedly ordered bailiffs to freeze thousands of US dollars and millions of Argentinian pesos. The judge told bailiffs to seize about 60 motor vehicles found in garages at the properties.

Argentine Online Gambling Ring: Court Orders Assets Freeze

During the raid, police officers arrested 18 other individuals. They also seized 40 PCs, as well as cellphones, firearms, and 12 kilograms of marijuana. Nineteen suspected accomplices remain at large, officers claim.

Rodríguez called the case an “emblematic example of organized economic crime.”

Prosecutors think Zuco and his associates operated unregulated gambling platforms that made use of virtual accounts to collect betting stakes.

Investigators say Zuco sat at the top of a criminal structure that relied on cash and card mules.

These mules were reportedly paid to let Zuco’s group process thousands of fragmented bank deposits in a bid to bypass financial monitoring platforms.

The court believes that the gang funnelled funds from gambling platforms into accounts with fake names. Criminals then allegedly laundered the funds via cash withdrawals, real estate purchases, and crypto purchases.

Police say one of the suspects attempted to flee a country club in a 4-by-4 car during the raid, with a suitcase containing millions of Argentinian pesos. But officers were able to use surveillance drone technology to track his movements and intercept his vehicle.

Operators Ran Social Media Promotion Campaign, Say Police

The man, who was later granted house arrest, claimed the money in his suitcase came from winning bets at Mar del Plata’s Central Casino.

Police launched their probe in May 2023 following a tip-off from an informant. This informant told officers that the gang launched its operations in 2022, offering bettors access to online roulette, slots, and card games.

They allegedly used chat apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, as well as social network platforms like Instagram and Facebook, to drum up interest in their services.

Prosecutors say Zuco directed the entire operation and was responsible for managing the group’s illicit assets. Police say the probe is still active, as the search for the missing suspects continues.

In August, the Argentinian Province of Mendoza announced that it would impose a cap on the number of slot machines casinos can house.

A lawmaker in the province said the new law would help prevent gambling addiction in Mendoza and promote responsible gambling.

Lawmakers also said that the law would ensure gambling operators who violate the new slot limits would face “severe punishment.”