Owen Hanson is a former college athlete who ran an illegal sports betting company and later expanded into international cartel-backed money laundering and drug trafficking.
Hanson was a backup tight end for the University of Southern California football team in the early 2000s. He started smuggling steroids over the US-Mexico border while in school. He got involved in sports betting after the 2008 financial crisis and set up the ODOG Enterprise — a betting company targeting wealthy gamblers — from Costa Rica. Using his sports connections, Hanson offered rigged tips, bribed players, and enforced payments through threats. The FBI arrested him in 2017 for racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute narcotics, and he was sentenced to 21 years and three months in federal prison. He served seven years and forfeited $5 million in assets.
He spoke with Business Insider about money laundering and the lifestyle of high-rolling sports betters. He discussed cartel suppliers and how steroids are smuggled across the US-Mexico border.
Hanson is the author of “The California Kid: From USC Golden Boy to International Drug Kingpin.” He launched California Ice Protein, a frozen “protein‑on‑a‑stick” brand inspired by Mexican paletas. He’s the subject of a three-part docuseries, “Cocaine Quarterback,” produced by Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas company. It premiered on Prime Video in September.
Hanson’s book: www.TheCaliforniaKid.com
“Cocaine Quarterback” on Prime Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBRs2InNTSE
The logo on his hat has been obscured to ensure no implied endorsement or connection between the brand and the subject matter discussed.
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