Penn National Official Admits to Wire Fraud
Description:
As part of a plea agreement, a racing official with Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course has agreed to plead guilty to federal wire fraud charges after he allegedly accepted bribes in exchange for inside information about races.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Sept. 30 that Craig Lytel, 60, of Hershey, Pa., received an interstate wire transfer of $1,000 from a Kentucky bank in exchange for providing insider information on the makeup of horse races at Penn National. U.S. Attorney Peter Smith alleges Lytel accepted cash, dinners, gift cards, and golf outings in exchange for information.
The U.S. Attorney said it has filed a plea agreement with the defendant that is subject to court approval. Track officials said Lytel, who had worked in the racing office since May 2011, was suspended Wednesday and the track is cooperating with authorities.
An official with the U.S. Attorney's office said Wednesday that she could not yet provide the names of any trainers involved in the alleged bribes.
The U.S. Attorney noted that Lytel is licensed as a racing official at Penn National and falls under the rules and regulations that govern licensees with the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission. In his position he was privy to information concerning horses entered in a race while the race entries are being filled by the racing office.
The U.S. Attorney noted that an owner or trainer with this information enjoys an advantage as to which race to enter their eligible horse in that it would give their horse a better chance of success. Such information, coupled with the knowledge of what other horses are in a given race, could also provide an opportunity for collusion on the behalf of owner/trainers or even determine if a race will be filled enough to run.
Since November 2013, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has indicted four racetrack veterinarians, three trainers, a clocker, and now a racing official. The U.S. Attorney said the investigation is ongoing. The investigation of Lytel was conducted by the Harrisburg Resident Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission.