Summary
- The former senator will spend 10 months in prison.
- The charges stem from illegally funneling money from a casino company.
- Waltz reportedly helped move around $40,000 in illegal campaign contributions.
A former Indiana state senator finds himself headed to jail after sentencing in an illegal casino money funneling scheme case. Republican Brent Waltz’s campaign was found to be connected to projects regarding new Indiana casinos in Terre Haute and Gary. The senator will spend 10 months behind bars for his actions in the scheme.
Details of the Senator’s Role
A federal investigation is what led to the indictment and sentencing of former Senator Waltz. His congressional campaign from 2016 was connected to several individuals, including a former casino executive and the individual was eventually pushed out of the company due to the incident.
Waltz was reportedly found to be using his campaign to move funds from Centaur Gaming through his campaign to the tune of around $40,000. Waltz also made false statements to the FBI regarding the case.
The financial scheme reportedly involved 15 people who took contributions of $2,700 to the campaign of Waltz and they were repaid illegally by the Strategic Campaign Group, with cash that came from the casino company.
The former senator pled guilty in April and during the sentencing hearing said that his actions are his greatest regret as they have tarnished his reputation as a servant to the public. Waltz served as a state senator for 12 years in Indiana.
Additional charges were filed against others connected to the scheme. Prosecutors asked for prison time for Waltz to try and stop such behavior from lawmakers from happening in the future.
Former Centaur Gaming Executive Awaiting Sentencing
Along with Waltz, other individuals connected to the case are awaiting sentencing. John Keeler is a former executive of Centaur Gaming who pled guilty in April as well, for filing false tax returns for the company. He filed a business expense of $41,000, stating the company paid a political consultant.
Centaur Gaming sold two horse racetrack casinos to Caesars Entertainment in 2017. Keeler and Rod Ratcliff, a casino investor, later became the top officials behind Spectacle Entertainment. Spectacle bought the Gary casino operation only to find Keeler and Waltz connected to money crimes, which eventually led to the casino operations of Spectacle going to other companies.
Ratcliff did not face any criminal charges but was forced to give up his casino license in Indiana due to financial misconduct allegations. Ratcliff along with Keeler were active in lobbying efforts to see the casino in Gary move from Lake Michigan to land.
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