Ex-MMA fighter, Michael Frontier, known for his involvement in illicit bookmaking activities, has been given a two-year jail term, brushing aside his pleas of self-betterment, as reported by The Chicago Tribune. Allegedly, the ex-athlete’s unauthorized gambling activities had associations with local mob syndicates, as specified in the lawsuit.
The 39-year-old’s LinkedIn profile depicted him as a “clairvoyant, intuitive life coach, reiki master, reflexologist, and keynote speaker”. In January, he confessed to operating an unlawful gambling business, acknowledging that he had been involved in such illicit activities between 2015 and 2016.
For the record, Frontier’s legal proceedings were related to the Chicago Outfit’s Elmwood Park and Grand Avenue gangs. The lawsuit alleges that Frontier’s illegal gambling operations were aimed at high-rollers inside these notorious groups.
Evidence from the FBI in the form of wiretaps reveals Frontier discussing his illicit operations, as well as threatening those who refused to clear their debts. He reportedly redirected an indebted gambler to a loan shark. The gambler later reported being set upon by several men connected to the moneylender.
Adding to the scandal, Frontier filed for bankruptcy in 2015, a move seen as shady given the lawsuit claims he was making significant income from his unlawful bookmaking business. This move was seen as an attempt to circumvent a $1.5 million civil judgment levied against him after a motorcycle accident.
Frontier Insists He Is Reformed
During the hearing last Friday, Frontier expressed his apologies to US District Judge John Robert Blakey. He vowed that he had turned over a new leaf and his involvement in illegal activities was something of the past.
Frontier stated that in 2016 he ceased his illegal gambling activities, even before he was aware of any investigation into his operations. He also conveyed his hope to get another chance, stating that he is a drastically changed individual in the present.
The defense counsel for the athlete-turned-bookmaker highlighted his client’s current lawful employment and impending fatherhood.
Despite Frontier’s notable connections to organized crime rings, his case forms part of a broader probe into the Chicago Outfits. The ex-MMA fighter successfully evaded charges related to being a member of the Mafia.
