Man Indicted in Computer Bookmaking Scheme

An Agoura man was indicted Friday in Las Vegas on charges he headed the “Computer Group,” a nationwide betting ring that netted millions in profits before it was shut down by the FBI on the eve of the 1985 Super Bowl.

Federal authorities unsealed an indictment charging Ivan Mindlin, 61, with managing the group and hiring individuals who placed bets on its behalf. Charges against Mindlin and 18 others include conspiracy, interstate transmission of betting information and use of interstate facilities in aid of racketeering.

The betting ring was dubbed the “Computer Group” because members allegedly designed a computer program that was fed information on a sporting event to determine the betting line. The group then set up representatives in various cities to bet various events, using the computer-generated lines to determine the bets.