FEDS MAKE $47 MILLION MAQUINITA BUST, CAP 6 YEAR STING

By Juan Montoya
Three federal indictments unsealed last week against 12 people in rural Brooks County (Falfurrias) has resulted in notice of forfeitures on more than $47 million as prosecutors close a six-year investigation into money laundering through eight-liner (maquinita) operations booming there.
The indictments, unsealed Oct., 31, Nov. 5, and Nov. 5, allege that the operators were in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 1955 against illegal gambling that prohibits individuals from conducting, financing, managing, supervising...gambling business that operate for two or more successive days...and...receives gross revenue in excess of $2,000 in any single day..."
Asst. U.S. Attorney Mark Patterson from the Corpus Christi Division of the Southern District of Texas presented the evidence to a federal grand jury which issued the indictments against the 12 defendants.
Named in the indictments were Foor Kwan Lee AKA "Tiger", and Qian Li AKA "Alvin."
They are charged with operating a continuing gambling enterprise and of performing transactions designed to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source ownership, and control of the proceeds knowing that the property involve din the transactions represented the proceeds of illegal activities.
The indictments allege that both men operated the 99 Game Room, and the 88 Entertainment in Falfurrias.
Agents report that they executed a search with a warrant May 31 on the men's residence in Laredo and found more than $2.2 million in a master bedroom in several boxes. In the indictment unsealed Nov. 4, the government gave notice they intend to forfeit $14 million seized in various bank accounts as well as $251,884 in cash seized May 31 from the 99 Game Room, $401 from the same game room, $207, 670 from the 88 Entertainment and another $22,600 from the same game room.
Undercover agents posing as customers reported that they were paid more than $5 in prize money in four different occasions over a span of six years beginning in January 2009 to May 31, 2015.
A second indictment unsealed Nov. 4 names Richard Hiott Jr, Ricky Brazeal, Veronica "Roni" Trolia, Angelica Ruiz, and Rafael Narvaez. The allegedly operated the Queen of Hearts and Lucky 7 game rooms.
Agents posing as customers reported that they were paid more than $5 in cash prizes on four different occasions in a span of time from January 2012 to May 31, 2015.
They gave notice of forfeiture for $13 million, $23,034 in cash seized from the Queen of Hearts game room, $74,896 from the Lucky 7 game room, $54,000 from a trailer in Falfurrias, $316,830 nfrom a storage unit in Falfurrias, $553, 073 from a residence in Noth Charleston, South Carolina, $99,440 from a residence in Summerville, South Carolina, $65,807 from a residence in Falfiurrias, $44,650 from a Falfurrias residence, and a 2014 GMC Sierra pickup truck.
In the third indictment unsealed Nov. 5, federal prosecutors charged Muradi Fazal, Cotina Aparicio, Oscar Belmonte, Jaime Moreno, and Cynthia Cuervo with operating an illegal gambling establishment and money laundering. The defendants allegedly operated Oscar's Game Room and Lady Luck Game Room.

Prosecutors charge that agents posing as customers were paid cash prizes on at least four occasions over a span of time from June 2014 through February 2015. They gave notice of forfeiture on $4 million in ban deposits, $225,900 in cash seized June 2 from a safe deposit box in the Prosperity Bank in Falfurrias, $193,610 from another safe deposit box in the Compass Bank in Falfurrias seized June 2, and $21,000 in cash seized May 31 from a residence in Houston.
Prosecutors charge that the defendants deposited the proceeds from the illegal gambling operations into business bank accounts of companies that were o longer active, including BVVA Compass Bank accounts for Sunglo Transport and Sunglo Management, and bank accounts of family members.
In all the indictments, prosecutors charge that the defendants on various occasions deposited cash from the illegal operations into banks and then transferred the money to accounts in other banks or accounts in an attempt to  hide the transactions.
The banks listed in the three indictments include Wells Fargo Bank, J.P. Morgan Bank, Bank of America, the Prosperity Bank, and the BBVA Compass Bank.