The founder of the notorious online betting company BetOnSports, Gary Kaplan, pleaded not guilty yesterday to the charges brought against him. The Internet gambling executive pleaded "not guilty" on the charges of federal racketeering, tax evasion and fraud on Monday, despite the previous statements from the chairman of the troubled online betting company, that a guilty plea was going to be filed. 

Kaplan, along with 10 other executives from the online gambling industry were indicted by U.S. District Court in St. Louis on charges that the company took billions in illegal bets from U.S. residents. The company BetOnSports stopped taking bets from US citizens as a result of a civil settlement last November, and agreed to return the money back to the American bettors, something that has not happened as of yet. The criminal charges, however, are still pending.

The 48-year-old Gary Kaplan was arrested in March in the Dominican Republic, after fleeing the country to avoid prosecution.