A businessman from Kent was accused of running illegal gambling operations in Florida. The man, who had allegedly operated an illegal slot machine business, has now pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The defendant, Timothy Surgen, is a 57-year-old man who, according to multiple charges, leveraged his company, Surgen Enterprises, to operate slot machines. His alleged violations have been outlined in over a hundred charges, claiming that he offered slots at the Black Beards Super Game Room, Games N More and Treasure Island Arcade properties.
For reference, Florida’s laws prohibit slot machines that pay out cash.
In addition to possessing slot machines and running illegal gambling operations, Surgen faces charges for money laundering.
Plaintiffs Allege Surgen Operated Illegal Gambling and Laundered Money
Surgen Enterprises was founded in Ohio in 2012. The company launched in Florida in 2018, where its owner filed it as a foreign limited liability company based of out Ohio.
In 2019, Surgen applied for a new business application, allowing him to establish Treasure Island Arcade, one of the venues where he offered illegal slots. The venue was officially listed as an arcade business offering 50 machines and overseen by three employees.
Games N More, one of the other venues in question, was launched in 2022 and was listed as a 20-machine arcade with four employees. Black Beards Super Game Room was founded that same year and was listed as an arcade with 25 machines and four employees. These two properties were notably founded by a former Surgen employee.
Between November 2022 and September 2023, investigators probed into Games N More and Treasure Island Arcade. Undercover agents spotted armed guards and learned that the venues offered multiple cash slots. To confirm that the machines were illegal, the agents tried to exchange cashout tickets for money and gift cards – a practice forbidden in Florida.
Surgen, who has now pleaded not guilty to running illegal gambling operations, is believed to have generated more than $304,000 of illegal money.
Surgen faces further charges.
Fiona Simmons
Source link
