Clandestine gambling clubs closed in Novosibirsk
One of the organizers of illegal gambling was arrested in Novosibirsk. The detainee is a major local businessman and founder of several companies related to real estate management. During the search in his apartment was found 120 million rubles, the origin of which is not yet clear. The money has been seized until all the circumstances are clarified.
The arrest of the businessman on February 7 was the second attempt to detain him. The first time it failed due to technical issues and lack of necessary documents. The businessman is accused of organizing illegal gambling clubs located in several districts of Novosibirsk. The lawyer of the businessman denies participation in his client in the organization of illegal gambling. The businessman himself states that he is ready to account for every penny of the money seized in the apartment. According to him, all the funds were obtained as a result of official banking transactions.
As the Investigative Committee suggests, the detainee, together with a group of people who were detained earlier, organized and controlled the work of more than two dozen illegal gambling establishments in five districts of Novosibirsk. They worked under the guise of computer clubs. Visitors came, paid a fee and were given a PC on which slot machine emulators were installed.
It is still unknown whether the game was played at one of the licensed online casinos or whether the organizers provided access to their own video slots. If the second option is true, it is likely that the machines are scripted, which means that the suspects may also be accused of fraud. In the near future, the IC will conduct a large-scale investigation to clarify all the circumstances of the organization of a network of illegal gambling establishments. It is assumed that the detainees had a "roof" of former high-ranking officials who worked in the police. They are accused of participating in the cover-up of the illegal business.
