Patrice Tierney, wife of Massachusetts Democrat Representative, John Tierney, has been charged with illegal online gambling activities. It is believed that these indictments will seriously impact the politician’s standing in Massachusetts, where he has served for seven terms.
Patrice was charged with aiding and abetting her brother’s online gambling activities and helped manage a bank account that handled over $7 million in internet gambling funds. Her brother, Bobby Eremian, ran an internet betting site, PlayLegal.com, which was based in Antigua and used the bank account in his sister’s name to make payments to winners, as well as facilitate the movement of funds.
Bobby Eremian was first arrested by the United States authorities in 2000 for tax evasion. It was recently reported that he was arrested again and charged with money laundering and racketeering.
In the meantime, John Tierney has reacted to the charges brought against his wife and brother in law. He said that that their involvement in online gambling would not prevent him from voting on pending federal legislation that could legalize this pastime in the United States.
“I can’t see how I would have any personal gain one way or the other,” he said. “That’s usually the measure. It has nothing to do with me personally.”
Tierney voted against the UIGEA when it first came up in the House of Representatives in 2006. He told the media this week that he didn’t consider his 2006 vote as a conflict of interest because he had no idea at the time that Bobby Eremian was involved in internet gambling.
Patrice Eremian pleaded guilty to four counts of aiding and abetting the filing of false returns for her brother.
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