Phil Mickelson linked to money laundering for sports gambling ring

Phil Mickelson has found his name linked to an illegal offshore gambling operation, as a report indicates that nearly $3 million of his money was transferred to an intermediary who pleaded guilty to money laundering last week.

According to ESPN’s Outside the Lines, 56-year-old former sports gambling handicapper Gregory Silveira pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering of approximately $2.75 million that he received from an unnamed “gambling client” between February 2010 and February 2013. Two sources reportedly told OTL that the money belonged to Mickelson.

Mickelson was not named in court documents and has not been charged with a crime. He is also not under federal investigation at this time.

Court documents state that Silveira was a participant in “an illegal gambling operation which accepted and placed bets on sporting events.” Silveira confessed to accepting $2.75 million that he was aware was part of “illegal sports betting.”

The money, according to the documents, came from a “gambling client” and had been transferred into Silveira’s Wells Fargo Bank account. Three days later, Silveira transferred $2.475 million and then $275,000 into another of his Wells Fargo accounts. The next day, Silveira transferred the $2.475 million to another account he controlled at JPMorgan Chase Bank.

The three transactions constitute the money laundering charges: “At the time, defendant initiated these three transfers with the intent to promote the carrying on of an illegal gambling operation,” according to the plea agreement, which was signed May 1.

The funds were described as “proceeds,” which is a generic term that is often used with money laundering. The “gambling client” was not named in court documents, but a plea agreement that was signed by Silveira and his attorney included a reference to “money laundering of funds from P.M.”

This is not the first time that Mickelson, who overtook Tiger Woods this year as the highest-paid golfer in the world, has been linked to shady business involving a piece of his fortune. Last year, Mickelson was part of an investigation into possible insider trading, though it was later reported that his initial involvement was overstated.

[Related: Even if he gambled, Phil Mickelson probably didn’t commit crime]

Interestingly enough, Mickelson’s loose link to potential insider trading was through notorious Las Vegas sports gambling guru Billy Walters. Several Vegas gambling sources told OTL that Mickelson still bets on sports in Las Vegas.

If you take a look at how much Mickelson made last year, it makes you wonder why he would ever be involved with something like illegal sports gambling. Then again, the multimillionaire has complained about paying taxes in the past.

Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports