Fraudsters Charged after Handing in Invalid Signatures on Casino Petitions in Florida

Florida authorities identified false signatures on recent casino-related petitions. This led to the arrest of one man and the search of two others. The case was investigated by a number of bodies, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Department of State Office of Election Crimes and Security and the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office.

The three men, according to officials, submitted thousands of invalid signatures, with some of them including the names of deceased residents.

One of them, namely Haggi Amirally, 29, was found guilty of handing over 1,100 false signatures. According to local officials, the man was paid to collect signatures for the casino petition.

He was arrested Thursday and was booked at the Palm Beach County Jail. Amirally was charged with six counts of using personal identification information concerning a deceased individual. His case has been turned over to the local prosecution.

Two Men Are on the Run

As it turns out, there are two more people who also submitted improper signatures. These include Alex Joseph, 29 and Henos Joseph, 34, who collectively handed in over 8,000 invalid signatures, according to local authorities.  

Officials say that Alex Joseph has turned in 4,700+ improper signatures, resulting in him getting charged with five counts of criminal use of personal identification information. Henos Joseph, on the other hand, allegedly handed in over 3,700 invalid signatures on petitions. He was charged with a whopping thirteen counts of using personal identification information concerning a deceased individual,

The former man is also a suspect in another petition fraud case in Colorado.

Local authorities have issued arrest warrants for Alex and Henon Joseph. According to officials, their last known address is 1331 NW 133^rd St. in Miami.

All three men risk further charges.

For reference, the petitions sought support for the creation of Vegas-style casinos in Florida. Supporters of casino gaming envision expanding existing cardrooms into fully-fledged casino properties. However, the Seminole Tribe remains firmly opposed to the expansion of commercial gambling.

Speaking of which, Florida’s Supreme Court recently ruled against the commercial companies’ request that challenged the compact between Florida and the tribe.