Richard Lee cops a plea

10/17/2007

World Series of Poker ace Richard Lee will have to pay a heavy price for his alleged involvement in the promotion of illegal gambling in San Antonio - $2.2 million - as part of a plea bargain he has reached with San Antonio prosecutors, reports local media this week.

Lee pleaded “no contest” Tuesday to a charge of illegally promoting gambling in San Antonio, the result of dramatic police raids and confiscations last year.

In the raids on Lee's San Antonio home, police froze bank accounts and confiscated luxury cars. Seized in the raid was $2.7 million in cash, a 2005 Lexus LX470, a 2005 Mercedes S430, a 2004 Toyota 4Runner, a 2005 Mercedes S430, and a large amount of designer handbags, electronics, and watches.

The San Antonio DA's office and police department have taken over a year to finalise the case, which involved Lee and four others and a website branded Betbsbnow.com, which officials claimed booked sports bets.

Lee filed civil forfeiture proceedings to try and reclaim his seized property, claiming that it was part of the $2.8 million WSOP win from his poker playing. However, the district attorney's office used the cash and property as leverage for the plea negotiations, claiming that the money came from taking bets over the Internet.