Illegal Gambling Probe Leads to Florida’s Lieutenant Governor Quitting
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Joe Raedle/Getty Images(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — Florida Gov. Rick Scott needs a new lieutenant governor following this week’s resignation of Jennifer Carroll who the Republican ran with two years ago.
Carroll’s name surfaced during an investigation of an illegal gambling operation, the supposedly legitimate Allied Veterans of the World, which is a non-profit assisting veterans.
It turns out that Carroll’s public relations firm previously represented Allied, which authorities say was actually a front for a “sophisticated racketeering and money laundering scheme stemming from 49 illegal gambling centers operating under the guise of ‘Internet cafes.'”
In all, investigators say it was a $300 million scheme with the money funneled to its operators, not vets.
Fifty-seven people were charged with racketeering and money laundering. Carroll was not among those charged.
Her office released a statement saying, “Lt. Gov. Carroll resigned in an effort to keep her former affiliation with the company from distracting from the administration’s important work on behalf of Florida families. She made the right decision for the state and her family.”
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