Phil Mickelson "linked" to illegal gambling operation

Phil Mickelson has been embroiled in an illegal gambling operation, a year after the golfer was attached to a federal investigation for insider trading.

According to Mike Fish and David Purdum of ESPN, "nearly $3 million transferred from golfer Phil Mickelson to an intermediary was part of 'an illegal gambling operation which accepted and placed bets on sporting events,' according to two sources and court documents obtained by Outside the Lines."

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The report states Mickelson has not been charged with a crime and isn't under investigation, though "a 56-year-old former sports gambling handicapper, acting as a conduit for an offshore gambling operation, pleaded guilty last week to laundering approximately $2.75 million of money that two sources told Outside the Lines belonged to Mickelson."

Gregory Silveira of La Quinta, California, the aforementioned handicapper, pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering.

Mickelson was last year cleared of any wrongdoing in the insider trading investigation involving Clorox stock.

It is still unclear if he is under investigation or a person of interest in another investigation regarding Dean Foods stock.

It remains to be seen if Mickelson will become the subject of an investigation as the gambling client referenced in Silveira's plea—if prosecutors indeed believe Mickelson was that client—or if prosecutors were more interested in targeting Silveira.