Government tries to seize illegal gambling house
BOISE (AP) - Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to let the government seize a rental home in Boise that they say was used for several years as a hub for illegal gambling and poker games, according to documents filed this week.
In a complaint filed in Boise's U.S. District Court, prosecutors said the house just west of the Boise airport was used to conduct poker games and tournaments. The Idaho Statesman reports prosecutors say participants would pay cash for a "buy in" to play, and the winnings were also played in cash.
The home, valued at about $205,000 by the Ada County Assessor's Office, is owned by Kestrel Investments.
Prosecutors don't believe the owners of Kestrel Investments, Julie and Skinner "Skip" Anderson, participated in or operated the poker games.
But they do claim Skip Anderson knew that illegal gambling was taking place in the home and did nothing to stop it.
Anderson did not immediately return telephone messages left Friday by The Associated Press on his home telephone or one of a property management business he also owns.
According to court records, Nampa resident Kings Santy leased the home beginning in 2008. Investigators say Santy told them that he originally told Anderson he was going to run an auto repossession company from the home, but that Anderson learned of the gambling two or three years ago.
"Santy states that Anderson had questioned him about conducting card games at the Victory house and that Santy admitted that he was holding poker tournaments there," FBI agent Douglas Hart wrote in a court affidavit. " ... Anderson told Santy that he didn't care what Santy was doing on the property so long as it didn't cause Anderson trouble."
Reached Thursday evening by the Statesman, Santy declined to answer questions related to the case.
"I don't have anything to say," Santy said.
Anthony Hall, an assistant U.S. attorney handling the forfeiture case, would not say why Santy was not charged or whether a criminal investigation is ongoing.