Indiana casino executive charged in illegal campaign scheme A top executive of an Indiana casino company that is building a new $400 million casino in Gary has been indicted on federal charges of illegally funneling campaign contributions to a former state lawmaker’s unsuccessful congressional campaignINDIANAPOLIS -- One top executive of an Indiana casino company that is building a new $400 million casino in Gary has been indicted and another has left his position following a lengthy federal investigation into allegations that corporate money was illegally funneled to a former state lawmaker’s unsuccessful congressional campaign. Indiana casino officials this spring forced Keeler and fellow Spectacle executive Rod Ratcliff to give up their ownership stake in a planned new $125 million Terre Haute casino because of the investigation, but allowed a business partner to go ahead with the project. The Indiana Gaming Commission said it suspended Keeler’s casino license on Tuesday and was investigating the actions of Spectacle and others involved. They led a group that then formed Spectacle to buy the Gary casino operation. According to the federal indictment, 15 people were recruited in the scheme to make maximum contributions of $2,700 to the Waltz campaign while they were illegally repaid from nearly $80,000 that originated from the casino company to the Virginia-based political firm Strategic Campaign Group.

Source: ABC News September 29, 2020 15:49 UTC