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Notable Dodgers "Draft Bust" Pitcher Busted for Running Shady Karaoke Machine Biz
Bill Bene, a former amateur draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers, had agreed to plead guilty on federal charges he operated a counterfeit karaoke business and didn't pay taxes on sales.
The Long Beach-born Bene, 44, sold counterfeit karaoke machines between 2006 and 2010, and did not report over $600,000 in sales to the Internal Revenue Service, according to City News Service. As part of his scheme, Bene illegally copied and sold karaoke songs on hard drives containing about 122,000 titles each, say prosecutors.
Bene, a Cal State L.A. grad, was drafted by the Dodgers in the 1st round of the 1988 MLB June Amateur Draft, but he spent his career in the minors. Baseball Reference hails Bene as "perhaps one of the most notable draft busts of his era."
Now the busted Bene could be looking at a maximum sentence of eight years behind bars, plus a fine of $250,000 or two times the gross gain or gross loss, restitution payments and three years of supervised release, according to prosecutors.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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