Florida Officials Break Up $24M Gambling Operation at Senior Center

State prosecutors revealed last week that a senior entertainment center just outside The Villages served as the center of a huge illegal gambling operation. This scheme channeled millions of dollars through fake businesses and offshore accounts.

Florida Elders’ Hangout Uncovered as $24 Million Underground Casino

The Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office teamed up with the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) and local police to charge three individuals linked to the operation at IL Villagio Senior Entertainment Center. Investigators claim the facility, which advertised itself as an arcade, functioned as a full-fledged gambling house equipped with about 200 slot-like machines.

Officials started investigating IL Villagio in early 2025 when locals complained the establishment looked more like a casino than a place for recreation. Undercover agents from FGCC later found rows of gaming machines, cash exchanges, and long queues of older adults waiting to play.

A mid-July operation uncovered 190 machines and about $348,000 in cash. A follow-up search at a nearby storage facility revealed additional devices ready to use. Financial experts tracked over $24 million moving through the business from January 2023 to July 2025, with much of it concealed through intricate transfers.

Prosecutors claim that almost $3 million went straight to the personal account of the center’s CEO, 44-year-old Rima Ray from St. Augustine. While reporting less than $20,000 in yearly earnings, Ray moved hundreds of thousands of dollars weekly through her accounts. Police arrested her in July. She now faces a racketeering charge that could result in a life sentence, along with several counts of money laundering, running a gambling house, and possessing slot machines.

Lady Lake Gambling Spot Managers Accused of RICO and Money Laundering

Two managers were arrested in September: Terrance Morgan, 69, from Ocala, and Barbara Buzzard, 67, from Summerfield. They are both accused of managing day-to-day operations at IL Villagio and face the same set of charges.

State Attorney Bill Gladson said the suspects went after retirees, calling the operation a danger to one of Florida’s most at-risk groups. He emphasized that these places are not just unlicensed entertainment spots but often have ties to financial scams and other illegal activities.

Carl Herold, who heads law enforcement for the FGCC, shared these worries. He pointed out that unlawful gambling dens often do not pay out winnings and run machines with little chance of payout. In Florida, the law allows slot machines at tribal casinos and certain horse and dog racing tracks in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Officials said they still get reports about unlicensed game rooms across the state and asked people to flag any suspicious establishments through the FGCC website.