Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Sikh casino defies PG, is shut Date: Tue, 24 Nov 92 14:12:10 EST Message-ID: Lines: 104 \SE A \HD Sikh casino defies PG, is shut \BY Jim Keary and Laura M. Litvan \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Prince George's County officials temporarily shut down one of the county's 22 charitable casinos yesterday after operators of the Sikh Temple casino refused to provide detailed proof of its expenses. The county's chief casinos regulator said that Sikh Temple officials have not provided details of $113,000 in reported expenditures made between July and September, despite repeated requests. "We've been asking them for three months and have gotten very little," said Jim Osborne, head of the licensing division for the Department of Environmental Resources (DER). "When we send a notice to the other [casinos] that we need something, they normally rush it back over to us." But investigations into alleged wrongdoing at other county casinos are all but dead, according to a prosecutor who said a grand jury has not found sufficient evidence of theft by workers at casinos run by the Bladensburg Volunteer Fire Department and the Executive Network. There is reason to believe that some money has been "missing" from the reported proceeds at a twice-a-week casino operated by the Bladensburg VFD, but there is no clear evidence that individuals are pocketing cash that is supposed to go to charity, the prosecutor said. That investigation "hasn't been formally closed, but if there aren't any new developments, it's in dry dock," said Assistant State's Attorney Paul Benkert. He said a separate investigation into charges of theft and other illegal activities at Executive Network - which also operated from the Beltsville VFD - has been unfruitful as well. "I don't expect any indictments to come out of that now because we did not find sufficient evidence to support any felony violations," he said. That news dismayed county officials charged with policing the casinos. "It looks like we're the Lone Ranger," said one county regulator who requested anonymity. "It looks like they [the State's Attorney's Office] are not going to do anything." Mr. Osborne said the department has stepped up its enforcement of casino regulations, more closely examining the quarterly financial reports filed by casinos, a move designed to identify any profit-skimming. Prince George's County Executive Parris Glendening yesterday continued to press for stricter casino laws. He submitted a bill to strengthen casino laws this summer, but the County Council never considered it. He said yesterday that he thinks the council will pass the measure after January but, if not, he hopes the General Assembly will pass similar legislation. Both of the casinos that have been scrutinized by the grand jury have been involved in their share of legal troubles with the county. The county revoked the Bladensburg VFD's casino operating permit in 1990, after it found workers who had not been members of the department for a full year, as required by the county. The rule is supposed to prevent professional gamblers from taking over the games. During that investigation, the county also found that workers were being paid from the casino's proceeds, which the county said violates local and state law barring individuals from benefiting from charity gambling. The fire department argued that salaries are a reasonable operating expense, and it continued to operate while waiting for a court ruling in the case. Executive Network was closed in January after a raid by DER, police and the Internal Revenue Service. The casino's operators were charged with paying dealers, operating after 11 p.m., falsifying financial reports, allowing nonmembers to work in the operation and safety violations. In October, the county Administrative Appeals Board ruled that Executive Network was guilty of only one of five alleged casino violations - allowing nonmembers to work in the casino. It suspended the casino's operating permit through April. Bob Holbrook, president of the Bladensburg VFD, said he is not surprised that the grand jury probe did not find sufficient proof of wrongdoing. "I knew there wasn't anything," Mr. Holbrook said. "Bladensburg did nothing wrong." He said that since the onset of the grand jury investigation, the fire department has implemented new computerized controls on the money flowing through its operation. "We can now have an accountant certify it," he said. Mr. Osborne said Sikh Temple could lose its license permanently if it does not comply with DER's order. Harmander Singh, manager of the Sikh Temple casino, said that he was unaware of the suspension and that the casino has complied with all county regulations. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM