BY TOM SOMACH

A Texan who came in sixth at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in 2006 and earned almost $3 million has been charged by police in San Antonio, Texas, with gambling promotion, in connection with the operation of an online sports betting site.

According to the San Antonio News-Express, Richard Henry Lee, who won $2,803,851 at the ‘06 WSOP, and four others, including Lee’s son-in-law, were charged with misdemeanors for their roles in the online bookmaking operation.

Police say Lee, 56, known as “The Chinaman,” was “the biggest bookie in San Antonio” and the head man in a bookmaking operation that used a website, www.betbsb.com, to facilitate sports wagering, the News-Express reported.

The arrests were the culmination of a 14-month investigation by San Antonio police into illegal Internet sports wagering in the Lone Star State, the newspaper reported.

Police say the website purported to be run from offshore but was really operated from Lee’s San Antonio home, the newspaper reported.

In addition to Lee, also charged by police were Lawrence J. Davenport, 30, who is married to Lee’s daughter; Matthew C. Winslow, 57; Marco D. Hernandez, 31; and Daniel Ortiz, 30; the Express-News reported.

The quartet served as “runners” for Lee, collecting monies from losing bettors and paying off winners, the newspaper reported.

If convicted, each of the four, as well as Lee, could receive a year in prison and/or a $4,000 fine, the newspaper reported.

The Express-News also reported that, in connection with the bust, police seized from Lee almost $2.7 million in cash, a 2005 Lexus, a 2005 Mercedes, a 2004 Toyota, jewelry, sports memorabilia, electronic equipment and other valuable merchandise.

Cops also seized $221,000 from Ortiz, $114,000 from Winslow and $14,000 from Davenport, the newspaper reported.

A court hearing for the “San Antonio Five” is scheduled for next month, it reported.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)