Prominent businessman accused of defrauding casinos

Wednesday, July 10, 2002 | 11:10 a.m.

Prominent Charlotte, N.C., home builder David Simonini was arrested on charges of passing bad checks in Las Vegas, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Court records in Las Vegas allege Simonini, known as a high-stakes gambler, passed bad checks totalling $385,000 at the Mirage and Bellagio hotel-casinos in March and April of 2001.

Simonini, who was accused of executing four bad checks totalling $325,000 to the Bellagio on March 1, March 23 and March 24, 2001, later paid $20,500 to the casino, reducing his debt to $304,500.

Simonini was also accused of executing a $60,000 bad check to the Mirage on April 20, 2001. But his debt was reduced to $57,500 when he paid $2,500 to the Mirage.

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