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Conor McGregor’s business managers are in a lot of trouble
On July 25, the United States Attorney’s Office representing the Central District of California sent out a press release stating that Eric Fulton had plead guilty to lying to authorities who were investigating an illegal gambling site that operated between 2010 and 2020. Fulton founded Fulton Management, an Encino-based management firm that handles the finances of big name celebrities like Channing Tatum, Taika Waititi and Chris Hemsworth.
Former UFC champion Conor McGregor is one of their clients, too. But the illegal gambling op has zero to do with the ‘Notorious’.
What actually happened
According to the US Attorney’s Office, Fulton signed a plea agreement where he acknowledged that his company provided bookkeeping, accounting and tax preparation for Wayne Joseph Nix. Nix, a former minor-league baseball player, has pled guilty to running an illegal gambling operation for nearly 20 years.
Fulton has accepted that he knew about the operation and laundered Nix’s illegal gambling proceeds. This laundering included transferring money between accounts for Nix and issues checks and wires to Nix’s gambling clients. Fulton also helped Nix secure bank loans to facilitate the operation. Fulton also provided some personal loans to Nix totalling $1.25 million. For doing this work, Fulton charged Nix around $336,000 over a ten year period.
Fulton also placed some personal bets with Nix. The press release states that “on one day, Fulton placed 14 bets, including three bets he made on a professional match of one of his company’s clients.”
Former Major League baseball player Yasiel Puig was also charged in relation to this operation. The former LA Dodger is accused of obstruction of justice and making false statements in regards to Nix’s operation. He has denied any wrongdoing and is scheduled to go on trial in January, 2024.
Is Conor McGregor connected to all this?
Conor McGregor is represented by Fulton Management, just like dozens of other folks, as reported by both The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
McGregor attended the wedding of Fulton Management partner Matthew Gilbert-Hammerling, who has since changed his name to Matthew Gilbert-Aranoff. On Instagram, McGregor took a picture with Gilbert-Aranoff (Proper Twelve whiskey in hand) and announced that the groom was his “good friend and trusted advisor”.
Gilbert-Aranoff has been with Fulton Management since 2015, according to his Linkedin. He made partner in 2019. Gilbert-Aranoff has not been accused of any wrongdoing or charged with a crime.
McGregor’s connection to Eric Fulton and Fulton’s knowledge of Wayne Joseph Nix’s gambling operation is the same as Chris Hemsworth and Channing Tatum’s. He’s just a client in a firm whose founder did something shady.
The US Attorney’s Office has not mentioned McGregor, or any other Fulton Agency clients, in connection to Nix’s operation.
Searches of the internet show zero connection between McGregor and Nix or his illegal sportsbook (Sand Island Sports).
McGregor has a long list of controversies
Conor McGregor’s name has became synonymous with scandal ever since he rose to the top of pile in MMA. He punched a couple of old boys in pubs, he smashed a fan’s phone, threw a dolly through a bus window and has more driving offences than I can keep track of.
McGregor has also photographed with individuals who are reportedly connected to organized crime. Though there is absolutely zero evidence connecting McGregor to what they are accused of.
Most seriously, McGregor has been accused of multiple instances of sexual assault. Though, he has never been charged with a crime in relation to any of them.
McGregor is currently the subject of a civil suit regarding an accusation that was made by an Irish woman in 2018. McGregor has denied this allegation.
This June McGregor was also accused of sexually assaulting a woman at an NBA Finals game in Miami. McGregor has denied this allegation.
So there have been plenty of reasons to write about McGregor and controversies over the years. However, in this particular case, any suggestion that McGregor is in any way involved in this gambling operation is lazy.
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