| Florida's lieutenant governor resigned | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 13 2013, 06:00 PM (186 Views) | |
| Kerri P. | Mar 13 2013, 06:00 PM Post #1 |
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http://www.wral.com/fla-politician-resigns-57-charged-in-scandal/12218810/ Fla. politician resigns, 57 charged in scandal Posted: 16 minutes ago Updated: 14 minutes ago ORLANDO, FLA. — Florida's lieutenant governor resigned and nearly 60 other people were charged in a scandal involving a purported veterans charity that authorities said Wednesday was a front for a $300 million gambling operation. The organization, Allied Veterans of the World, runs nearly 50 Internet parlors with computerized slot machine-style games, which are normally legal in Florida if most of the proceeds go to charity. But investigators said the organization's executives gave precious little to veterans and lavished millions on themselves, spending it on boats, beachfront condos and Maseratis, Ferraris and Porsches. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi called the alleged scam "callous" and "despicable" and said it "insults every American who ever wore a military uniform." Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll was not among those charged but resigned a day after she was questioned by investigators. The public relations firm she co-owned, 3 N&JC, did work for St. Augustine-based Allied Veterans. A Navy veteran who served in the Gulf War, Carroll also appeared in a TV ad in 2011 promoting the organization's work on behalf of veterans and their families. Authorities refused to discuss any ties between the 53-year-old Republican and the investigation. Her aides had no comment. Carroll said in a statement Wednesday that neither she nor the public relations firm was targeted in the probe, and she stepped down so that her ties to the organization would not be a distraction for Republican Gov. Rick Scott's administration. The investigation involved 57 arrest warrants and 54 search warrants issued in Florida and five other states: South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Nevada and Pennsylvania. As of midafternoon, 49 people had been arrested. Allied Veterans' 49 parlors in Florida were raided and shut down. Authorities said they seized about 300 bank accounts containing $64.7 million, as well as sports cars and other property. Bondi said that when charges are formally filed next week they will include racketeering, conspiracy, money laundering and possession of slot machines. snip..... Edited by Kerri P., Mar 13 2013, 06:00 PM.
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| Mason | Mar 13 2013, 06:28 PM Post #2 |
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. I don't trust what they're doing down there in Florida. They threw the Laws out and have a sham Prosecution going of an innocent man in Zimmerman. , Edited by Mason, Mar 13 2013, 06:28 PM.
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| Kerri P. | Mar 15 2013, 10:30 AM Post #3 |
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http://www.wral.com/fla-gambling-arrests-may-close-veterans-shelter/12224960/ Fla. gambling arrests may close veterans shelter Posted: 4:44 a.m. today Updated: 4:45 a.m. today JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — A former Army cook who fell on hard times, Debbie Bowman has been living at the Allied Veterans Center, a shelter for homeless veterans, since August. Bowman stays in the barracks-style brick building — formerly a state-run nursing home — with 27 other vets. She received career counseling and took online courses, and is applying for a job as a 911 operator. But before Bowman can get back on her feet, the shelter may be forced to close its doors. The center was founded and almost entirely funded by the Allied Veterans of the World, the charity at the center of an illegal gambling investigation that's resulted in some 50 arrests and the resignation of Florida's lieutenant governor. Authorities said the charity was a ruse that raked in $300 million from gambling at its 49 parlors across Florida over the last five years. Investigators said only about 2 percent of the money — or nearly $6 million — actually went to charities. The Allied Veterans Center, which is independently operated despite its similar name, appeared to benefit the most. "We still need a place to go and we still need a place to stay," said Bowman, 43, who served 12 years in the Army on active duty in Germany and later in the National Guard. "Don't throw us out just because of people making bad choices. We still need this place to be here." Altogether, Allied Veterans of the World poured about $1.85 million into the shelter since 2011. snip..... |
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11:42 AM Jul 13