I Ran an Illegal Gambling Ring on TikTok & Made $100K — Then Got Caught | Blake Fitzgerald

Blake Fitzgerald was just a regular guy from Minnesota—until a side hustle on TikTok turned into a six-figure illegal gambling operation. After dropping out of college and bouncing between jobs, Blake discovered the world of gambling livestreams. Within months, he was pulling in over $100,000 running an underground gambling ring through social media. But the fast money came with heavy consequences. What started as a business turned into an addiction, and eventually, the law caught up with him. In this interview, Blake shares how he built the operation, how it spiraled out of control, and how he managed to escape prison time through a plea deal. #IllegalGambling #TikTokScam #TrueCrime #GamblingAddiction #LockedInWithIanBick #SocialMediaCrime #NoPrisonTime #UndergroundGambling Connect with Blake Fitzgerald: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@klozer10x_2.0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klozer10x/ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ Get 50% off the Magic Mind offer here: https://www.magicmind.com/IANB50. #magicmind #mentalwealth #mentalperformance Presented by Tyson 2.0 & Wooooo Energy: https://tyson20.com/ https://woooooenergy.com/ Use code LOCKEDIN for 20% OFF Wooooo Energy Buy Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction & The Shocking Call 00:34 Blake's Background and Upbringing 02:56 Childhood, Parents, and Lessons Learned 05:54 Family Dynamics & Early Life Challenges 13:04 College, Early Work, and First Adult Steps 17:15 Launching a Career: Sales, Oil Fields & Construction 20:51 Discovering Gambling Streams & TikTok Live 24:55 Explosive Growth on TikTok 31:36 Gambling Becomes a Business 38:28 The Illegal Gambling Model Starts 41:08 Managing Money, Moderators, and Viewers 43:43 High Stakes, Big Nights, and Addictive Success 47:35 TikTok Fame, Haters & Legal Gray Areas 55:10 The Investigation and Downfall 01:01:38 Facing Charges & Navigating the Legal System 01:09:03 Plea Deals, Consequences, and Community Service 01:13:15 Addiction Continues: Gambling Beyond TikTok 01:17:17 Embracing Recovery: Gamblers Anonymous 01:21:14 Life After Gambling: Fast Cars and Family 01:28:25 Social Media Reflections & Giving Back 01:32:33 Media Coverage, Public Perception, and Reputation 01:35:01 Lessons Learned: The Dangers of Gambling Culture 01:41:12 Moving Forward, Staying Sober, Final Thoughts Powered by: Just Media House : https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Creative direction, design, assets, support by FWRD: https://www.fwrd.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices