Authorities in Sarasota County have arrested five individuals following a nearly year-long investigation into multiple illegal gambling operations.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), in collaboration with the Florida Gaming Control Commission, executed search and arrest warrants after uncovering illicit gambling activities at the Palms Social Center and other establishments.
The investigation, which began in April 2024, was initiated by the Intelligence Unit after receiving a plethora of complaints about unauthorized gambling operations throughout the county.
Undercover detectives were planted in the Palms Social Center, engaged with slot machines and spoke with patrons and employees, ultimately gathering enough evidence to secure warrants for the business and those involved.
Due to the above collected evidence, Ciara Boles, 34, and Stivi Breshani, 29, both of Venice; Emily Gill, 26, of Sarasota; Ilir Iskali, 44, of Addison, IL; and Christine McCormack, 42, of Port Charlotte were arrested and charged.
Authorities seized nearly 60 illegal slot machines from the establishment as part of their enforcement efforts.
As for what the charges included, each received criminal enterprise (RICO), possession of a slot machine, maintaining a gambling establishment, and money laundering.
There was a sixth suspect, Ilia Lulo, who unfortunately remains at large with an outstanding arrest warrant.
Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman emphasized the importance of dismantling these illegal operations, suggesting that “this is the first of many steps towards holding them accountable and closing them down.”
Ross Marshman, Acting Executive Director of the Florida Gaming Control Commission, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the risks posed by unregulated gambling machines: “SCSO has made its home safer by targeting those responsible for siphoning away funds from their neighbors with illegal slot machines. These unlawful machines are unregulated and lack any consumer protections.”
With investigations ongoing, authorities continue their crackdown on illegal gambling in the region in an attempt to shut down unauthorized operations and make the County a safer place.
