FBI to enter investigation of Casino Arizona

Wednesday, May 3, 2000 | 12:04 p.m.

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community officials confirmed to the newspaper that the FBI was brought into the case at their request. But they added that there is no evidence of mob involvement or that criminal acts occurred.

The tribe began investigating after casino surveillance officers saw what they believed to be loan-sharking involving patrons making loans to employees and other customers.

The investigation, which center's around the casino's card room, now involves the FBI, Salt River police and the tribal gaming authority and the Arizona Department of Gaming, said Paul Walker, a spokesman for the agency.

A memo from Eric Reiss, executive director of the tribe's casino regulatory agency, characterized the investigation as involving large sums of money and possible mob figures.

"The activity observed during the investigation involved large monetary transactions between numerous patrons and employees," the April 24 memo to the tribe's regulatory board reads. "Further investigation revealed some of the patrons involved in those transactions have been linked by law enforcement agencies to organized crime. Some of these patrons have also been excluded by other gaming jurisdictions for loan-sharking."

The memorandum does not describe the possible criminal activity or what links there may be to criminal organizations, reported the Tribune, a newspaper serving suburban Phoenix.

FBI spokesman Ed Hall refused to confirm or deny the agency's involvement in the investigation. Tribal President Ivan Makil also refused to comment, saying he lacks authority to speak about any criminal investigation.