LSU student arrested for allegedly running illegal gambling business

An LSU student, 23-year-old Joseph Contente, has been arrested for allegedly operating an illegal online gambling business known as ‘The Vault’. The Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division investigation revealed that bets were primarily placed via text and settled through Venmo and Cash App.

Authorities identified over 1,900 Venmo transactions totaling more than $167,000 and approximately 1,917 credits totaling over $147,000 between February 2025 and April 2026. The operation involved individuals across multiple states. Contente faces several charges, including gambling, cyberstalking, extortion, unlawful wagering, and unlawful telephone communications and harassment. He has been released after posting a $25,000 bond.