Bryan Zuriff, a Hollywood producer, pled guilty in Manhattan federal court in connection with his role in the operation of a high-stakes illegal sports gambling business run by an organized crime enterprise. Zuriff pled guilty before United States District Court Judge Jesse M Furman to accepting a financial instrument in connection with unlawful Internet gambling.

Manhattan United States Attorney Preet Bharara said, “Bryan Zuriff spanned the coasts with his crimes by operating his own illegal gambling enterprise in Los Angeles and helping to operate a vast illegal gambling enterprise in New York. With his plea, he becomes the first defendant, but not the last, to be convicted in this sprawling script of criminal conduct.” Zuriff was charged in April 2013 in a 34-defendant indictment charging members and associates of two Russian-American organized crime enterprises with various crimes, including racketeering, money laundering, extortion, and various gambling offenses.

Tens of millions of dollars in bets were placed through those online accounts each year. Zuriff, 44, of Brentwood, California, faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and three years of supervised release. As part of his guilty plea, he agreed to forfeit $500,000 to the United States. Zuriff is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Furman on November 25, 2013, at 3 PM The charges against Hillel Nahmad, Illya Trincher, and the other 31 defendants in this case are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty…PressRelease