CaribWorldNews, WASHINGTON, D.C., Weds. Nov. 4, 2009: The owner of a large, illegal offshore sports-betting  operation, with links to two Caribbean nations, has been jailed.

BetOnSports founder, Gary Stephen Kaplan, will have to spend the next 51 months of his life in jail as well as give up more than $50 million.

Kaplan, who set up operations in Aruba and Antigua in the Caribbean as well as Costa Rica, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to violate anti-racketeering statutes and the Wire Wager Act and violating the Wire Wager Act, the Justice Department said in a release.

In his plea, Kaplan admitted he set up business entities in the three countries to offer sportsbook services to U.S. residents via the Internet and toll-free telephone numbers.