Alleged illegal gambling mogul enlists former mayor Bosley Jr.
Kaplan, left, and Bosley Jr.
The alleged mastermind of an illegal gambling ring is causing a stir in the St. Charles County jail, and he’s got with him a familiar face at St. Louis City Hall — former mayor Freeman Bolsey Jr.
Post-Dispatch reporter Shane Anthony has the story in today’s paper about Gary Kaplan, the millionaire founder of BetOnSports.com, who has been indicted on multiple counts of racketeering, conspiracy and fraud.
Kaplan has been deemed a flight risk– he was arrested with a “fistful of passports,” according to U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway – and has been ordered confined to custody pending his trial in St. Louis federal court.
Originally, he was in the St. Louis County jail, but was moved to St. Charles after amid accusations that he was receiving “special treatment.”
But, in St. Charles, the public defender’s office is complaining that Kaplan has monopolized the jail’s private attorney meeting areas, making it difficult for other clients to get time with their legal counsel.
One of the lawyers Kaplan has spent hours conversing with is Bosley Jr., who began a private law practice after leaving City Hall.
Bosley has proposed to county judges setting up a schedule for his meetings with Kaplan, or allowing a court room in the jail to be opened up for visitation to free up more space.
“If the amount of working hours in the interview room are limited or reduced, it will greatly diminish the amount of work that we accomplish in preparation for Mr. Kaplan’s upcoming trial,” Bosley wrote in a letter to the judges. “In a normal 9-5 business day, with all of the mandated breaks, we often work less than 2.5 hours as it is.”
If there is this much consternation over Kaplan’s jail stay and court prep, who knows what the actual trial holds.
has been in jail for more than 18 months, awaiting trial on accusations he ran an illegal gambling service. The multimillionaire was moved to the St. Charles County Jail in July after he was accused of receiving special treatment that included a host of contraband items in his jail cell in St. Louis County. Since he’s been in St. Charles, attorneys — particularly those in the Public Defenders Office — say they haven’t been able to spend adequate time with their clients because Kaplan and his lawyers have occupied one of the jail’s two private visitation rooms for hours each day.
According to a 1995 Department of Justice report, the average rapist served 25 months. But for competing with the state’s monopoly on gambling, this guy has sat in jail for 18 months without bail. Makes sense to me.
This reminds me of a recent story involving gambling and Jeff Smith. Except Jeff got away clean just so he could lose seats in the missouri senate for dems.
Jake, as far as I know, there is illegal or unethical about this situation. Lawyers represent a lot of different types of people–who by the way are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This is a non-story driven only by the name “Bosley.” And, Guy Roth, oh the wit on you!!!
Mr. Smith now has a jury trial scheduled for June 25, 2009. I’m guessing his attorney will argue that since the state voted to get rid of the identification requirement and loss limit, Senator Smith should not be convicted. Seems to me that ex post facto cuts both ways.
I admire his use of “ex post factor”. Most politicians sit on the fence post facto.