New Hampshire’s Concord Casino to close for next six months
However, it would be allowed to reopen under new owners, regulators said.
The Concord Casino in New Hampshire will shut down for the next six months, starting January 1, according to an Associated Press report.
Former State Senator Andy Sanborn, who owns the casino inside the Draft Sports Bar and Grill in Concord, has been under investigation for allegedly using Covid-19 relief funds to purchase personal luxury items.
The decision to shut down the casino came during a recent hearing regarding whether Sanborn’s gaming license should be revoked.
Prior to the inquiry, Sanborn planned to open a larger charitable gaming facility close to Concord Casino.
Both the New Hampshire Lottery Commission and the state’s Attorney General have investigated Sanborn’s use of these funds between the months of January and August. They found that Sanborn “fraudulently obtained $844,000 in Covid relief funds, which casinos are ineligible to receive, to support his lavish lifestyle.”
According to the investigation, Sanborn had used the money to buy luxury cars for both his wife and for himself by making cash payments disguised as rent.
More specifically, investigators accused Sanborn of purchasing two Porsche cars valued at $181,000 and spending another $80,000 on a Ferrari.
Following the inquiry, the Lottery Commission issued a notice of administrative action against Concord Casino to revoke its charitable gaming license.
In response to the initial investigation, Sanborn issued an email statement, claiming that he is “innocent of all wrongdoing.”
However, he did not attend the most recent hearing, according to the AP report. Sanborn was at a medical appointment and did not offer comment.
Sanborn’s attorney said that “state’s entire case was built on a sloppy investigation and unproven allegations about the Covid-19 relief loan.”
The New Hampshire Lottery Commission said that, if the casino should come under new ownership, it would be allowed to reopen.
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