Holy shit. Federal and state investigators have arrested 57 people over this, including an attorney in Jacksonville and the president and vice president of the Jacksonville fraternal order of police.
TALLAHASSEE -- Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll abruptly resigned amid law enforcement questions about a Florida Internet sweepstakes company at the center of a nationwide criminal investigation that has led authorities to arrest nearly 60 people in six states.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement interviewed Carroll Monday about her connections to the company, Allied Veterans of the World, a Florida-based non-profit that operates a chain of Internet cafes.
Carroll once owned a public relations firm that represented Allied Veterans, and she did work for the company at the same time she served in the Florida House. She resigned Tuesday. She has not been charged with any crime.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and law enforcement officials, speaking at a news conference in Orlando on Wedneday afternoon, said the multistate investigation — dubbed “Operation Reveal the Deal” — of the purported veterans’ charity led to arrest warrants for 57 people in Florida and five other states. Charges include racketeering, conspiracy, money laundering and possession of slot machines. Earlier this week, top leaders of Allied Veterans and the head of Jacksonville’s police union were arrested on charges of racketeering and money laundering.
“It is shameful that Allied Veterans of the World allegedly attempted to use the guise of a charitable organization to help veterans in order to lend credibility to this $300 million illegal gambling scheme,” said Bondi in a statement. “The Office of Statewide Prosecution will be filing formal charges related to illegal gambling, racketeering and money laundering, and they will prosecute the participants in the scheme to the fullest extent of the law.”
I'd never heard of these internet cafes until a few years ago, but they're pretty common in this area. Both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties are currently trying to ban them. From what I understand, you go in and buy a prepaid card that lets you sit at a computer and play virtual slot machines and what not. These guys were using a supposed charity as a front to run them, a charity to benefit veterans no less.
Are they trying to ban them in Palm Beach County, Doc? I think part of the reason I'd never noticed them is the ones here are usually in unassuming looking store fronts in strip malls. Law enforcement regard them as a nuisance.
Last year, a couple of the ones in Tampa got robbed at gunpoint, which I'm surprised hasn't happened more often to be honest.
There was a high-profile robbery attempt that happened in one here a while ago. Old guy gambling at one of the computers pulled his piece and shot one of the robbers I think. I don't know if they're trying to ban them or not.
