A New Hampshire on line casino owned by a former state senator accused of shopping for luxurious vehicles with a fraudulently obtained COVID-19 reduction mortgage might be shut down Jan. 1 however allowed to reopen in six months if bought to a brand new proprietor, the state lottery fee stated in a call made public Thursday
The fee tried in August to completely revoke Andy Sanborn’s gaming operator’s license, however he appealed the choice and requested a listening to earlier than an impartial examiner. That hearing was held earlier this month, and a call was issued Wednesday.
Sanborn, a Republican from Bedford, owns the Harmony On line casino inside The Draft Sports activities Bar and Grill in Harmony and was looking for to open a a lot bigger charitable gaming venue just a few miles away. However the fee argued that his license ought to be revoked as a result of he improperly obtained federal funds, misrepresented how he spent the cash, paid himself massive sums as hire and did not hold correct data total.
Based on the investigation, Sanborn fraudulently obtained $844,000 in funding from the Small Enterprise Administration between December 2021 and February 2022. Casinos and charitable gaming services weren’t eligible for such loans, however Sanborn omitted his enterprise identify, “Harmony On line casino,” from his utility and listed his main enterprise exercise as “miscellaneous providers,” officers stated.
He’s accused of spending $181,000 on two Porsche race vehicles and $80,000 on a Ferrari for his spouse. Sanborn additionally paid himself greater than $183,000 for what he characterised as hire for his Harmony properties, investigators stated.
In his ruling, hearings examiner Michael King stated it was not inside his purview to find out if the mortgage utility was fraudulent, however stated submitting it with “clear false and/or deceptive info” was sufficient to droop his license as a result of such motion “undermines the general public confidence in charitable gaming.” He additionally rejected Sanborn’s declare that the vehicles weren’t bought with the mortgage, saying there was a “straight line” from the receipt of the mortgage to the acquisition of the autos. And he famous that not one of the vehicles have been American made, which violates the phrases of the mortgage.
Revocation of the license was not acceptable, King stated, as a result of different license holders had been given alternatives to promote their companies previous to suspensions or revocations.
Sanborn, who didn’t attend the listening to as a result of he was at a medical appointment, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Thursday. His lawyer had argued that the state’s whole case was constructed on a sloppy investigation and unproven allegations concerning the COVID-19 reduction mortgage.
On the time the allegations have been introduced in August, officers stated federal authorities had been notified and that the state had begun a prison investigation.
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