Sean Eberhart pleads guilty to Spectacle Entertainment payoff
The former state Rep. took yearly payouts from former Gary casino owner Spectacle Entertainment to advance beneficial legislation.
Spectacle Entertainment paid former state Rep. Sean Eberhart at least $350,000 annually to advance legislation that was favorable to Spectacle Entertainment through the Indiana House. The corruption case resulted in Eberhart accepting a plea deal, which was confirmed by US Attorney Zachary Myers.
His sentence for a guilty plea for conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, of five years, is likely to be reduced due to his collaboration with the authorities. However, Eberhart has agreed to also repay the money he earned during the 2019 legislative session which accounts for $60,000.
The company that paid out to Eberhart, Spectacle Entertainment, did so in part to reduce the fees of a license relocation. Spectacle Entertainment wanted to relocate one license to a land-based operation and use another to open a new casino; however, to do so would cost the company a $100m fee. Through Eberhart, this fee was reduced to $20m.
Eberhart took the payout and was offered a future high-paying position at Spectacle Entertainment for his work in the Indiana House.
Spectacle Entertainment was opened in 2018 and founded by Rod Rattcliff, John Keeler and several others. On the relocation, Indiana attorney and Democrat politician Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr said, “Rod Ratcliff played it like a master. All the steak dinners, all the airplane flights, all the convention center work, it all paid off for him.
“A $100m transfer fee goes down to $20m. Rod Ratcliff saved $80m. The whole thing is very shady. The whole thing is very corrupt.”
No date has been given for Eberhart’s plea deal acceptance and sentencing.
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