Running illegal online gambling parlors is a big no-no in Massachusetts
This week the industry went abuzz with news that a Fairhaven City, Massachusetts veteran city councillor Leo Pelletier (66) has been indicted for running illegal online gambling parlors at two of his Internet cafes, along with three co-defendants.
They were accused of enabling customers at both 'Leo’s Place' Internet cafes to pay exclusively for the right to gamble online. On the other side, Pelletier claimed that customers paid only to go online and play sweepstakes, redeeming cash prizes for points that customers won when they played 24 online games.
In his statement, he addressed state Attorney General Martha Coakley, saying: “You want to use me, Martha? All well and good. Is it to enhance your political thing? I don’t know. I don’t know what you’re doing.”
The other three indictees are Ron Sevigny (66), Linda Pelletier (57) and Donald Greenidge (52), as well as Pelletier’s corporation, New England Internet Cafés, LLC.
They are charged with organizing or promoting gambling services and operating an illegal lottery, and Linda Pelletier is charged additionally with the sale and advertising of lottery tickets, whereas councilor Pelletier (not related to Linda) is charged with organizing or promoting gambling services, operating an illegal lottery, allowing lotteries in a building, and the sale and advertising of lottery tickets.
“Our position is that our clients’ Internet cafe business was lawful under existing statues and court decisions,” said Pelletier’s legal rep. “The decision to indict them all is therefore extremely disappointing.”
