Paying off gambling debt puts Wild's Vanek in spotlight

Thomas Vanek bet heavily on football games and wasn't very good at it.

That seems to be the takeaway from a New York court case where the lawyer for a man who pleaded guilty to money laundering claimed Vanek had more than $1 million in gambling debt.

Vanek, who signed a three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Wild this summer, is not under investigation in the case, nor does he seem to be in trouble with the National Hockey League. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said, however, the league would follow up on the situation.

In the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and NHL Players' Association, the only mention of gambling comes in Exhibit 14.2: "Gambling on any NHL game is prohibited." Vanek has not been accused of gambling on hockey.

Vanek, 30, left Wild practice on Friday without speaking to reporters. He assisted on two goals Thursday night in the Wild's 4-3 victory over San Jose. Vanek has not commented on the case since making a statement after he testified as the government's prime witness before a grand jury in Rochester, N.Y., in July.

The Wild did not issue a statement, deferring to the NHL and Vanek's agent, Steve Bartlett.

"Thomas is not in any way, shape or form involved in any illegal activities or in trouble here," Bartlett said.

At the crux of the controversy was a $230,000 paycheck issued by the Islanders last season to Vanek, who apparently signed it over to the brother of bookmaker Mark Ruff, who pleaded guilty to money laundering Thursday in Rochester.

Ruff said in court that the check was to pay off a gambling debt.

Ruff's lawyer, Jim Wolford told WHEC-TV, "Thomas Vanek was here [in federal court], what, a couple months ago? I think at the last hearing he was playing for the Islanders."

When asked if he was inferring the check came from Vanek, Wolford said, "It came from the Islanders. … Put it this way, I was a little surprised when I heard on the news that Mr. Vanek was claiming complete innocence with respect to this entire operation."

Bartlett, who also acknowledged the check came from Vanek, was incensed by the lawyer's comments.

"He is not the subject of any investigation or criminal charges or anything whatsoever. He was a witness against this guy who was the bookmaker. He was the guy that wanted money, and Thomas paid it to him. Thomas wasn't involved in any bookmaking activities.

"Now people are like, 'Oh, Thomas was a money launderer. That's totally false. He was the bettor. He bet on football games. Obviously, that's what he was testifying to."

In July, Vanek was in a federal court in Rochester as part of an ongoing gambling investigation stemming from the June arrest of three men on gambling and money laundering charges.

The three men — Ruff; his brother, Joe; and Paul Borrelli — were allegedly conducting an illegal gambling business out of the Marina Restaurant and Bar in Charlotte, N.Y., since Jan. 2012.

At the time, Vanek released this statement: "Representatives of the U.S. Federal Government have asked for my cooperation in an investigation. I am not the subject of any investigation or prosecution. I will fully cooperate with the U.S. Federal authorities in their investigation or in any proceedings arising out of it."

Mark Ruff, in his guilty plea Thursday, admitted managing a gambling operation with his brother and Borrelli. The latter two are awaiting trial.

According to the Democrat & Chronicle story, Ruff said he received a $230,000 gambling debt from a bettor — the payment was initially made to Joseph Ruff, prosecutors allege — and passed it on to a Connecticut man who was a co-conspirator but has not been charged.

That individual, identified by initials N.R., deposited the money and then allegedly filtered it back to the Ruffs.

The three are accused of running an illegal sports gambling business that used multiple offshore Internet gambling websites. If the plea deal is approved, Mark Ruff will be sentenced to nine years in prison.

"We will obviously follow up on the 'facts' suggested in the article to satisfy ourselves that we are on top of the situation," Daly told the Star Tribune.