Connecticut authorities say a multi‑person scheme used stolen credit‑card data to fund DraftKings accounts and launder winnings, leading to at least 20 defendants and additional charges. Warrants and court records show dozens of accounts, geolocated wagers across multiple Connecticut cities, and roughly $190,000 in alleged fraudulent transactions.

Between Feb. 24 and Feb. 27, 2026 local and AP reporting detailed the expansion of a Connecticut investigation into coordinated identity‑theft and fraud tied to online sports‑betting accounts on DraftKings. State prosecutors allege defendants used stolen credit‑card and payment card data to bankroll wagers, then laundered winnings through a network of accounts and intermediaries. Court documents and arrest warrants indicate investigators identified dozens of compromised accounts, geo‑located bets placed across multiple Connecticut municipalities, and alleged fraudulent transactions totaling about $190,000. As the probe reached 20 charged defendants, authorities added counts against several individuals based on new evidence recovered from devices and financial records. Law enforcement described a pattern of account‑takeovers, synthetic‑identity layering and use of third‑party payout channels to conceal proceeds. Prosecutors said the case illustrates the intersection of payment‑card fraud, online betting platforms and criminal money‑movement techniques, and flagged ongoing efforts to trace funds and freeze assets while cooperating with gambling platforms to tighten account verification and transaction monitoring.