Criminal Charges Laid in Gift Card Sports Betting Investigation

Two people in Northern Ontario have been charged by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) in relation to questionable sports betting activity by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) PROLINE.

Gift Cards That Have Been Compromised

Following an OPP investigation that found hundreds of gift cards had been hacked at many gas bar sites in Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie, the charges were brought.

According to an OPP statement, on March 20, 2024, the IEB, which is a division of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), alerted the OLG about suspicious activity at the gas bar locations.

Over CAD $400,000 in gift card fraud was discovered throughout the inquiry.  PROLINE bets were paid for with the compromised gift cards.  The accused would use the gift cards to wager on both teams in order to ensure their victory, according to CTV News reporting.

OPP: Fraud of $400,000

According to CTV News, authorities confiscated multiple pieces of evidence that did not belong to the accused during the inquiry.  Casino.org has not received a response to their request for additional information on the investigation from the OPP.

Joshua Silver, a 36-year-old Thunder Bay resident, has been charged with conspiracy, identity theft, forgery, possession of property obtained through criminal activity, fraud exceeding $5,000, and laundering proceeds of crime.

Silver is expected to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay tomorrow after being placed under remand into custody.

Tomorrow is the court date

Montgomery McMahon, 45, of Thunder Bay, was accused of conspiracy, uttering a fake document, possession of property obtained through criminal activity, fraud exceeding $5,000, and laundering profits of crime.

McMahon is expected to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on Tuesday after being placed under remand into custody.

The inquiry is still ongoing, according to a statement from the OPP.