Otsego County Man Arrested for Illegal Bookie Business

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office says a 50-year-old Otego man was arrested late last week for allegedly running a large scale bookmaking business.

A search warrant was recently executed at John Nelson Chapman's home and investigators seized over $37,000 in cash and $3,790 in US postal money orders, along with numerous gambling records detailing bets, money owed, money earned, and client information.

Officials believe that the confiscated records show that on one day he received or accepted more than five bets totaling $5,000 and he used illegal gambling proceeds to buy U.S. Postal money orders in furtherance of continuing his illegal gambling activities.

The investigation seemed to reveal that Chapman profited from illegal gambling activity by engaging in bookmaking.

The charges are: promoting gambling, first degree ( felony), possessing gambling records, first degree (felony), and money laundering, first degree (felony).

Chapman, also known as Chappy, is due back in Court on April 10th.