Phil Mickelson may have more explaining to do after a report named him as the bettor whose $2.75 million led a former handicapper to plead guilty to three federal counts of money laundering.
Although Mickelson is apparently not under investigation and has not been charged with any crime, ESPN’s Outside the Lines is citing two sources that say the five-time major winner used Gregory Silveira of La Quinta as a conduit to place bets on sporting events with an illegal offshore gambling operation.
Mickelson could not be reached for comment Tuesday and his spokesman, T.R. Reinman said, “there is no statement forthcoming.”
Even if the funds were Mickelson’s, federal gambling laws do not target the gambler, unless the gambler was involved in the concealment of laundered funds. It is, however, awkward to say the least that the 45-year-old golfer’s name keeps surfacing in federal investigations.
It popped up last year in a federal insider trading investigation involving billionaire Carl Icahn and Las Vegas gambler Billy Walters when Mickelson was cleared in one of the two instances involving Clorox stock.
Competing in the U.S. Open at the time Mickelson’s only comment was, “I’ll continue to say I haven’t done anything wrong.”
The story did not say if Mickelson is cooperating in the investigation.
Silveira, 56, is formerly of San Diego, Mickelson’s hometown, although it is unclear how the two are connected. Mickelson lives in Rancho Santa Fe. Silveira currently lives along the PGA West golf course, home to the PGA Tour’s Humana Challenge.
After Silveira, who faces up to 60 years in prison, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors last Monday, he admitted his guilt to U.S. District Court Judge Virginia A. Phillips, acknowledging that he knew the $2.75 million was from an illegal gambling business, that the laundered money was from a gambling client and that he acted with intent to promote an illegal gambling business.
Although not named in court documents, Mickelson’s vague fingerprints were found in an initial plea agreement signed by Silveira and his attorney, James Henderson, last month, which, according to Outside the Lines, referred to “money laundering of funds from P.M.”
All references to “P.M.” were stricken by the U.S. Attorney’s Office after Outside the Lines inquired about Mickelson’s potential role. According to Outside the Lines, it is standard Department of Justice policy for documents not to mention third parties who are not criminally charged.
Henderson told Outside the Lines that he “didn’t know anything about P.M.”
Mickelson’s gambling habits are no secret, on or off the course. He has been known to legally bet sizable sums of money on games in Las Vegas.
The $2.7 million, which does not necessarily represent wins or losses but proceeds, was accepted by Silveira into his Wells Fargo bank account, according to court documents cited by Outside the Lines. Moneys were then transferred into other Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase accounts held by Silveira.
Silveira’s sentencing before Judge Phillips is scheduled for Oct. 5.
Mickelson is not playing again until next week’s Scottish Open at Gullane, followed by the British Open at St. Andrews. He finished tied for 64th at the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay and has not won a tournament since the 2013 British Open.
