Randy Williams Of Boca Raton Arrested

BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2023) — Randy Williams of Boca Raton was arrested and charged with gambling and money laundering charges for running several casino-style arcades throughout Palm Beach County.

Randy Williams, 38, of the Broken Sound community in Boca Raton, 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 Williams 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 Williams to verify the claims that at least one of them was an illegal gambling operation. PBSO’s investigation confirmed that Williams operated three illegal gambling houses in Palm Beach County.

PBSO notes the following 3 locations were identified as illegal gambling houses:

  • 4895 Windward Passage Drive, Unit K, Boynton Beach
  • 12100 US Highway 1, (Ste. K), North Palm Beach
  • 9880 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach

Williams 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 Williams’ finances. Authorities say that the accounting was suspicious for an arcade business. Detectives said that it appears that Williams 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 VENETIAN ARCADES and RANDY WILLIAMS 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.

Williams 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