According to the United States Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, a man from West Palm Beach has pleaded guilty to a series of criminal charges, including operating an illegal sports gambling business, money laundering, engaging in prostitution activities, and tax evasion. Dion De Cesare, 53, has agreed to forfeit various assets, including commercial properties, condos, vehicles, a Rolex watch, and approximately $93,000 in criminal proceeds as part of his guilty plea.
During the hearing, De Cesare admitted to being the owner of two clubs, Whispers All Girls Staff and NXT, which were involved in providing prostitution services. He confessed to collecting proceeds from these businesses and laundering them through third-party bank accounts, as well as paying mortgages and expenses on his properties in West Palm Beach.
De Cesare also disclosed details about an online sports gambling website based in Costa Rica, stating that he laundered the gambling proceeds by having the gamblers send payments to third-party individuals and entities. Additionally, he admitted to owning a restaurant and nightclub called Renegades in West Palm Beach and acknowledged his failure to pay payroll and personal taxes. He has agreed to pay a substantial restitution amount of $1,177,438.65 to the IRS.
De Cesare is now awaiting sentencing before United States District Court Judge Robin L. Rosenberg, with a potential prison sentence of 20 years for the conspiracy charge and five years for the gambling, prostitution, and tax charges. In total, he faces a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison, 12 years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine, along with the restitution.
The investigation into De Cesare began in January 2019 when a confidential source informed detectives from the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office about his involvement as a gambling agent who accepted bets over the phone. Authorities subsequently tracked him down, and five months later, he was apprehended at the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport while preparing to travel to Costa Rica.
Josh Peasley, Kelly Lizza, Aundrey Aarons, and Mark Paolantonio are also involved in the legal proceedings, as authorities believe they conspired with De Cesare. The case highlights the efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat illegal gambling, money laundering, and other related criminal activities, aiming to uphold the rule of law and protect communities from such illicit operations.
