STORY - CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
Defendant: PANIRO JOHNSON
CASE NO.: 2023009066
Page 3 of 4
e) Wagering by individuals under 21 years of age
In early 2023, an investigation initiated by agents with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) uncovered evidence of PANIRO JOHNSON conducting illicit wagering activities on the Draftings sportsbook platform. PANIRO JOHNSON was a wrestler at Iowa State University during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 wrestling seasons
PANIRO JOHNSON engaged in a scheme with THESHA FREEMAN enabling JOHNSON to disguise his identity and manipulate online/mobile transactions in order to create the appearance that sports wager transactions conducted by JOHNSON were made by FREEMAN.
This deception enabled PANIRO JOHNSON to conceal his unlawful gambling activities from law
enforcement and other regulatory bodies.
His actions contravened various legal and regulatory frameworks, including:
A)
Underage Gambling: PANIRO JOHNSON placed wagers while underage, in violation of Iowa's gambling laws. He employed a proxy account registered in the name of an individual who was over the legal age of 21.
JOHNSON does not turn 21 until 2024.
B)
Violation of licensed Sportsbook User Terms and Conditions: PANIRO JOHNSON'S wagers on DraftKings also violated the platform's User's Terms, as well as rules and regulations administered by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. DraftKings explicitly prohibits individuals from signing up for an account while underage or
utilizing the service under another's name.
C)
Breach of University and NCAA Policies: PANIRO JOHNSON'S use of an account associated with a non-athlete individual allowed him to circumvent scrutiny and sidestep university and NCAA policies regarding student-athlete sports wagering conduct. By using the identity of another, JOHNSON was able to avoid detection and the potential consequences of participation in prohibited activity.
D)
Unfair Wagering and Conflict of Interest: PANIRO JOHNSON placed bets on Iowa State University athletic events, including games and events sponsored by the NCAA and university. This raised concerns regarding unfair wagering advantages, potential access to insider knowledge of athletic participants, and the potential for collusion-
related activities.
Tax Implications: PANIRO JOHNSON'S fraudulent activities also shielded him from potential state and federal tax implications. By concealing his identity during his sports wagering transactions, any tax responsibilities
would fall on the stand-in's name listed on the account.
When placing wagers on the DraftKings platform, an individually unique "Bet Ticket ID" digital record is generated. This number is utilized by Draftings to distinguish one wager from all others. Each wager placed by JOHNSON generated a "Bet Ticket ID" digital record. Each "Bet Ticket ID" digital record identified below correspond to a specific timestamped wager placed by JOHNSON. The "Bet Ticket ID's" listed are not all inclusive of JOHNSON's sports wagering activity; however, they all meet the following conditions:
Wagers routinely and consistently placed from PANIRO JOHNSON's personal iPhone.
Wagering transactions that required possession of PANIRO JOHNSON'S protected iPhone to unlock and access his
Draitkings account using a specific username and password.
3) Corresponded to PANIRO JOHNSON'S known locations, including his university residence and areas