New Hampshire Casino Charged With Theft

The company that runs Concord Casino in New Hampshire, Win Win Win, is now facing charges of theft after a state investigation. 

This comes after FinCen fined a California casino $900k. 

The Charges Against Them

According to NH Attorney General John M. Formella, the official charges against Win Win Win include theft by deception and theft by unauthorized taking. 

Casino owner Andy Sanborn was arrested earlier in October and charged with the same counts. He’ll appear in court in Merrimack County on Tuesday. 

The casino allegedly reported more losses than it had, which wound up with them receiving $189k more than it should’ve in state funds. They also listed the wrong date of when its business began. 

Should the casino be found guilty, it could be unable to receive a license to operate for a decade, harming any sale to a potential new owner. 

The Defense Lawyer’s Point of View

According to Zachary Hafer, the defense attorney for Sanborn, he’s accusing the state of trying to block the sale of the casino. 

“Given that Win Win Win is a single-member LLC whose single member is Mr. Sanborn, the Attorney General cannot (and does not) allege that Win Win Win took any action distinct from Mr. Sanborn,” Hafer told New Hampshire Public Radio. 

“There is thus only one reason to charge Win Win Win: to attempt to block a sale of Win Win Win that would benefit taxpayers, charities, and the local community. This is a deeply concerning development, and we look forward to holding the AG accountable in court,” he continued. 

The prospective buyer is unnamed but has applied for a license. 

Past Sanborn Controversies

According to the attorney general's office, there have been other issues involving Sanborn in the past. 

For example, the office claims Sanborn failed to say his business was a casino when he applied for pandemic relief. Casinos were ineligible to receive loans during this relief period, and Sanborn received about $844k worth. 

He allegedly used those funds on two Porsches and a Ferrari. The Ferrari was allegedly for his wife, Laurie Sanborn, a state rep. 

Sanborn wasn’t charged following that investigation, but the casino’s license was suspended and ordered to close. 

He was then ordered to sell the casino and requested extensions to get it done. 

Sanborn is trying to open another casino in Concord but is being challenged by Concord resident Kassey Cameron, who is citing zoning regulations. 

The NH Supreme Court is hearing this case.