WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The one-time owner of a West Palm Beach nightclub pleaded guilty Friday to a variety of federal charges in connection with an illegal sports gambling operation and prostitution case.
As part of the guilty plea, federal officials said Dion De Cesare, 53, agreed to forfeit to the U.S. government two commercial properties, five condos, six vehicles, a Rolex watch and about $93,000 in criminal proceeds.
During a hearing, De Cesare admitted that from around April 2008 to November 2022, he owned two social clubs: Whispers All Girls Staff and NXT. During various times, prosecutors said the businesses provided an array of prostitution services regularly to their customers.
According to the Department of Justice, De Cesare collected the proceeds from those businesses and laundered them through third-party bank accounts and the payment of mortgages and expenses owed on several of his properties in West Palm Beach.
Officials said De Cesare also admitted that from about May 20, 2015, to October 2022, he also operated an online sports gambling business through a website whose server was located in Costa Rica.
They said the West Palm Beach man also laundered the gambling proceeds by having the gamblers send their debt payments to third-party individuals and entities for De Cesare's benefit.
From 2011 to 2017, De Cesare owned Renegades, a restaurant and nightclub in West Palm Beach.
From various times between 2011 and 2013, and from 2015 to 2016, the DOJ said he failed to pay personal and payroll taxes. De Cesare agreed to pay $1,177,438.65 in restitution to the IRS.
De Cesare is scheduled to be sentenced later this year. He faces 20 years in prison on the conspiracy charge, and five years on the gambling, prostitution, and tax charges.
In total, De Cesare is facing a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison, 12 years supervised release and a $1 million fine — in addition to restitution.
