a national grand jury slapped an Indiana casino executive with additional charges Tuesday for his so-called role in a strategy to channel casino funds into an ex-state senator’s hit a brick wall promotion for Congress.
John Keeler was already experiencing four national costs for allegedly using out-of-state governmental specialists to hire straw donors once the new charges are revealed recently. Those straw donors funded former state Republican Sen. Brent Waltz’s congressional campaign in 2015. They certainly were next reimbursed with resources from Keeler’s casino business brand new Centaur LLC, based on federal prosecutors.
In a 2016 corporate tax return for brand new Centaur’s parent organization Centaur Holdings, Keeler listed a $41,000 team repayment to your out-of-state governmental consultants as a deductible expense. He also revised a corporate taxation return from 2015 to incorporate deductions for $79,500 in company repayments into the specialists.
But bodies believe those money were not allowable expenses after all. They think these were funds Ash Gaming casino the professionals routed into Waltz’s campaign coffers through straw donors, that would make them governmental benefits. Venture efforts can not be detailed as a company expense under national law.
Nov casino heavyweights
Keeler, a legal counsel and previous Republican person in the Indiana quarters of Representatives, provides conducted biggest positions from inside the county’s casino industry. After brand new Centaur LLC was ended up selling for $1.7 billion to Las Vegas-based Caesars activities in 2018, the guy signed up with forces with another Indiana casino monster, Rod Ratcliff, to start Spectacle enjoyment.
Keeler is the performing vice president and common counsel for Spectacle when the indictment against him and Waltz, that is furthermore becoming prosecuted for their part inside the unlawful share scheme, was unsealed in national courtroom last year. Keeler took management allow from the business pursuing the indictment.
Spectacle combined with hard-rock Overseas in 2019 to build up two newer casinos in Gary and Terre Haute. Per year later on, the Indiana Gaming fee stripped Keeler and Ratcliff of these video gaming certificates as a result to federal and state investigations shadowing her providers. Ratcliff is not faced with any crimes.
Hard Rock worldwide provides since purchased many share within the Hard Rock Casino in Gary, in essence taking over the center from Spectacle.
Spectacle got greatly important on laws encompassing Indiana’s casino field through the brief course it had been operate by Keeler and Ratcliff. The firm lobbied the governor and condition lawmakers to alter condition rules and allow Spectacle to go a couple of its Gary casino certificates to more seriously traveled avenues.
Lawmakers also decreased a fee Spectacle was required to pay to the Indiana video gaming Commission for developing a brand new casino in Gary from $100 million to $20 million.
Private aircraft for Holcomb
IndyStar reported Ratcliff managed Gov. Eric Holcomb to two private jet routes in 2018 across the energy Spectacle is moving for improvement to mention gaming legislation. The journeys happened to be reported within half a million cash Ratcliff with his firms contributed in 2018 with the Republican Governors organization, far more than just about any more casino driver or Indiana team.
The organization provided $7.6 million to Holcomb’s 2016 operate for governor, making it a major financial backer of their strategy. An ethics evaluation by Indiana Inspector standard receive Holcomb couldn’t devote any wrongdoing as the aircraft, that have been directed to Republican Governors Association activities, were given to the organization and never Holcomb’s workplace.
“really what it is,” Keeler stated, when contacted by IndyStar in 2019 inside the character as Spectacle’s common advice. “We participate in the RGA. We had an extra chair or two in the flat, the governor flew alongside united states. Perhaps not a problem.”
The next hearing in case against Keeler and Waltz are planned Oct. 14 during the national courthouse in Indianapolis.