Paul Padda, a high profile Indian American attorney and a former Attorney with the Department of Justice, has been retained by a well-known sports bettor David Oancea, aka Vegas Dave.

David Nakama Oancea, aka “Vegas Dave,” 40, of Las Vegas, a Las Vegas sports betting personality, was indicted by a federal grand jury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada. The indictment charges Oancea with nine counts of misuse of Social Security Numbers and 10 counts of causing false currency transaction reports to be filed based on the false Social Security Numbers.

As alleged in the indictment, Oancea placed sports bets for himself and others at casinos and sports books. He opened player accounts by providing the casinos and sports books with social security numbers assigned to others or to no one, but represented to the casinos that the social security numbers were his. When Oancea placed bets, or collected winnings of more than $10,000, he caused the casinos and sports books to prepare and submit false Currency Transaction Reports containing false and fraudulent social security numbers. It is further alleged that Oancea caused casinos and sports books to prepare and file at least 137 false Currency Transaction Reports. The indictment seeks forfeiture of $551,318.20 from Oancea.

The case is being investigated by the Las Vegas Financial Crimes Task Force consisting of members of the IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, the Henderson Police Department, and the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

David Oancea, right, a professional sports gambler who goes by the nickname “Vegas Dave,” and his attorney Paul Padda walk to the Lloyd George U.S. Courthouse on Wednesday, April 19, 2017, in Las Vegas. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco

Talking to the Las Vegas Review Journal, Paul said “The government is being very vindictive here. “David is a high-profile person, and he posts his winnings online … Sometimes people in the government think, ‘This is going to be good for my career if I can bring a case against a high-profile person.”

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