On a day in mid-October, US District Judge Monica Ramirez Almadani adjusted the sentencing schedule of Damien Leforbes, a professional poker player embroiled in a money laundering case linked to Resorts World Las Vegas. This change means Leforbes will now face judgment on December 10, nearly two months later than previously planned.
This adjustment comes after a brief hearing on October 15. Last week, Leforbes had reached a deal with prosecutors from the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, who suggested probation instead of prison time. The arrangement aims to prevent Leforbes from serving any jail sentence.
Documents indicate that from a 16-month period ending in December 2023, Leforbes lost over $10 million at Resorts World Las Vegas. The former UNLV baseball player pleaded guilty in August 2024 to charges of money laundering and illegally operating a gambling operation. Under the terms proposed by Assistant US Attorney Kerry Quinn, Leforbes could spend the first four months under house arrest. However, Judge Almadani has requested further details on this agreement before finalizing any probationary sentence.
In his gambling activities, Leforbes reportedly wagered approximately $148 million over 11 months and suffered net losses around $12 million. His situation is paralleled by Matt Bowyer, who previously served his sentence in Southern California after pleading guilty for similar charges about laundering money at the same casino. Bowyer, who had frequented the casino significantly, received about a year in prison in 2025 due to his gambling enterprise, which was said to involve more than 700 clients.
Both Bowyer and Leforbes have been mentioned in a complaint filed by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which has since pursued significant penalties against Resorts World Las Vegas for anti-money laundering failures. To resolve various allegations related to these deficiencies, the casino agreed to pay a settlement of $10.5 million in March 2025 without admitting guilt.
Court records reveal that from 2021 to October 2023, Bowyer had visited the casino 80 times, accumulating a net loss of nearly $7.9 million. During this time, he enjoyed numerous perks, including luxury accommodations and promotional chips. Leforbes received similar treatment, with the Nevada regulatory complaint stating that his casino host was aware of his role as an illegal bookmaker and directed business to him, noting him as a good-natured individual who missed betting.
Just last month, Judge Almadani allowed Leforbes to pay over $25,000 to the US Treasury for his federal income tax obligations stemming from 2025. She has instructed both parties to provide documentation regarding an aggravated role adjustment and requested a report from a probation officer on potential terms if a probation sentence is to be considered. All required submissions are due by the end of November.
Leforbes's sentencing has been postponed several times since early 2025. Attorney Richard Schonfeld, who was recently appointed to the Nevada Gaming Commission, has represented Leforbes in this ongoing case but did not comment when approached recently.
