A man from Midland, Texas, has been accused of stealing $680,000 from a former employer to solve out-of-control gambling debts.
The man, Jason Matthew Babb, was previously employed as controller at Slater Controls Inc., and his admission of guilt showed a narrative of years of problem gambling and corporate theft that reportedly ran for years.
Babb was released from his post at Slater Controls in June 2025 after the malfeasance was brought to light by the CEO of the company. Midland County Sheriff’s Office further alleges that Babb was unsure of the overall amount stolen in a dialogue that was recorded by his colleague, which was later used as admissible evidence.
Midland man accused of stealing thousands to pay gambling debt
This led to a forensic audit that was undertaken by a third-party company, Dawson Forensic Group (DFG). The accounting firm found that Babb made “disbursements” totalling $665,939.50 and allegedly disguised $17,695.00 in payments. These transactions were masked as ACH wire transactions for equipment, but were a smokescreen for financial foul play.
Babb reportedly admitted that he had stolen smaller sums to initially contribute to gambling addiction and debts. It was also discovered that Babb’s inappropriate handling of financial and accounting data dated back to January 2021. The report alleged that the Midland man was stealing upwards of $20,000 sporadically each week.
Babb was released on the approval of a bond issued at $500,000, but he will need to face the legal accusations in relation to felony charges.
In related gambling addiction news, there has been a growing concern around high schoolers spiralling into the world of problem betting. We reported that the rise of online gaming in states and the emergence of black market illegal betting sites have caused more teens to be at risk of addictive behaviours.
A student, Isaac Carrillo, penned his thoughts as part of the New York Post Scholars Contest. He said that “gambling permeates teen life more than you would think.” He continued, that “things can quickly get out of control for high school gamblers, with debts greatly exceeding petty cash between friends.”
Fetured image: Pixlr AI-generated.
