BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2023) — A Boca Raton man was arrested and charged with gambling and money laundering charges for running several casino-style arcades throughout Palm Beach County.
The Boca Raton man was arrested on Friday, June 9th, 2023.
According to a lengthy arrest affidavit filed by the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, an investigation was conducted which determined that the man operated 3 different casino-style arcades in Palm Beach County. All 3 locations, branded as “Venetian Arcade”, contained los vegas-style slot machines that took cash to play. When someone wins at one of the machines, a ticket is printed, which they would then trade for cash with the attendant.
Undercover agents with the Sheriff’s Office played the slot machines at various locations operated by the man to verify the claims that at least one of them was an illegal gambling operation. PBSO’s investigation confirmed that the man operated three illegal gambling houses in Palm Beach County.
PBSO noted 3 locations throughout Palm Beach County as illegal gambling houses operated by the Boca Raton man. The man closed all 3 locations closed by the end of May after he received cease orders from the Florida Gaming Commission.
A financial forensic investigator attached to the case looked into the man’s finances. Authorities say that the accounting was suspicious for an arcade business. Detectives said that it appears that the man is laundering money by “layering” financial transactions from one bank account to another in an attempt to make them harder to follow and to make them appear legitimate.
Investigators conclude that the financial records associated with the arcade and the man revealed illicit proceeds of the gambling operation are being used to further promote the activity by way of paying rent, utilities, and other expenses associated with the illegal gambling activities thereby integrating the illicit funds to furtherance the illegal gaming establishment.
The man was charged with the following:
- 155 counts of 849.15 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A SLOT MACHINE DEVICES
- 3 counts of 849.02 AGENT OR EMPLOYEE OF GAMBLING HOUSE
- 3 counts of 849.01 KEEPING A GAMBLING HOUSE
- 896.101(35C) MONEY LAUNDERING
UPDATE: 8/25/2025
The man has since completed a pre-trial intervention program.
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