Between August 28, 2022 to October 9, 2023, New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte won $556,267.58, wagering on sports, most of which he plowed right back into more bets.
Unfortunately, Boutte was underage and doctored that fact by using his mother’s credit card and a fictitious name, which explains why authorities arrested the wide receiver January 25 on charges of illegal online gaming.
He reportedly made more than 8,900 illegal bets, and at least 17 involved NCAA football games. Six were on LSU football, according to the Louisiana State Police.
Boutte, now 21, played in five games for the Patriots this past season.
Authorities charged Boutte on a felony charge of computer fraud and a misdemeanor count of Gaming Prohibited for Persons under 21. He was released after posting a $6,000 bond. Computer fraud carries a fine of up to $10,000 and a prison term of five years or less. The illegal gambling charge carries a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, according to the Associated Press.
According to the warrant, during 2022 and 2023:
- Boutte deposited a total of $132,147.53 into the account
- Boutte won a total of $556,267.58, but used most of that money to make additional bets
- Boutte withdrew $50,282.36 from the account
During three seasons at LSU, Boutte appeared in 27 games, 21 as a starter.
“Since then, we have fully cooperated with all relevant authorities involved in the investigation and will continue to do so,” LSU said in a statement.. “We have no evidence that any other student-athletes participated in these prohibited activities, and we are grateful for measures that detect and discourage sports gambling related misconduct.”
In related news, the highly publicized probe into sports betting by Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is cracking over allegations of constitutional abuse of evidence by authorities. Investigators face accusations of illegal searches.
According to court filings, DCI agents relied on a software program to monitor Iowa and Iowa State University athletic facilities for online activity without the use of a warrant.
Alfredo Parrish, one of the defense attorneys, told WHO13 News that the investigation may be unconstitutional, and thus subject to civil lawsuits.
A recent filing involving Iowa State wrestler Paniro Johnson alleges that officials at the DCI were less than truthful to their own agents to persuade the investigation to step up, according to Covers.
Johnson’s lawyer Christopher Sandy is pursuing any evidence of potential misconduct, claiming that one of the agents was misled by his superiors about the purpose and target of the investigation.
ESPN reported that special agent Mark Ludwick, in a deposition, was informed that the investigation was administrative with no criminal charges filed. Ludwick interviewed Cyclones football player Isaiah Lee. Ludwick received congratulations from Troy Nelson, a special agent in charge for the Iowa DCI, “for obtaining a confession.”
That turned Ludwick against the probe. Convinced it was criminal in nature, he asked for reassignment, and he said he wasn’t alone in refusing to take part.
The investigation zeroed in on star players early on. Cyclones running back, Jirehl Brock, was charged with tampering with records. Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers was also charged with records tampering.
Iowa State wrestling coach Kevin Dresser was not a happy man over the investigation.
“I knew this thing was a mess, and I knew it was mismanaged and I knew it was mishandled,” he said, according to the Des Moines Register. “I’m glad it’s coming to light now, and I hope all these athletes at Iowa and Iowa State take the State of Iowa to the cleaners.”
As expected, the investigative team defended their approach and their tactics.
Defense attorneys representing Iowa State athletes, current and former, filed documents that there was no probable cause for the searches that spawned criminal charges and loss of eligibility before the NCAA.
A statement from the state Department of Public Safety believes its methodology stands up to legal analysis.
“The Department traditionally does not comment on active investigations or litigation in an effort to ensure these matters are appropriately addressed by our justice system rather than the media,” the statement said. “We believe the evidence was obtained in a constitutionally permissible manner.“
Attorneys for former ISU football players Isaiah Lee and Jirehl Brock and wrestler Paniro Johnson wrote motions for discovery that special agents handled the case appropriately. The three each face a felony and a misdemeanor for identity theft and tampering with records.
Most of the athletes charged pleaded guilty to underage gambling, paid fines and that was it.
Lee’s attorney, Van Plumb, cited a deposition where DCI special agents acknowledged placing a geofence around campus athletic facilities that discovered open wagering apps. Plumb insists athletes’ privacy was invaded.
The Department of Public Safety said in its statement that the evolution of gaming has given rise to emerging technologies that help regulate the industry and enforce the law.
The Department of Public Safety insists “sportsbooks implement location detection procedures to reasonably detect and dynamically monitor the location of a player attempting to place any wager” and to notify account holders about information extracted from the effort.
Software programs helped pick out irregularities that could indicate suspicious action that could undermine sports gambling in the state.
“Prior to using the tools provided, the Department of Public Safety conferred with legal counsel to ensure lawful access to and use of the technology,” the statement said. “Two county attorney offices also reviewed all relevant investigative information before making the ultimate decision to file charges.”
