The U.S. Justice Department held a press conference at Hammons Tower Friday to discuss the indictment of four citizens of India and five U.S. citizens living in Georgia, New York, Colorado and Arkansas.
They are:
- Rahulkumar D. Patel, 40, a citizen of India living in Washington
- Manishkumar M. Patel, 44, a citizen of India living in Georgia
- Mitulkumar M. Barot, 40, of Georgia
- Sunilkumar N. Patel, 52, a citizen of India living in New York
- Tushar R. Patel, 39, of Georgia
- Azghar Ali, 51, of New York
- Harshadkumar S. Chaudhari, 38, a citizen of India living in Colorado
- Vipul A. Patel, 40 of Arkansas
- Mohammed Iphtekar Ali Ajgar, 50, of Georgia
Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams said in a statement that “what began as a local investigation quickly expanded into a large, multi-jurisdictional case resulting in numerous indictments and a significant positive impact across our community.”
ICE Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito said in the statement it wasn’t a “low-level gambling scheme. It was an organized, multi-million-dollar criminal network.”
According to the Department of Justice, between April 24, 2023, and August 28, 2023, Barot registered six businesses online with the Missouri Secretary of State: Big win Arcade, LLC; Big Win Arcade 2023, LLC; Spin Hitters 1, LLC; Spin Hitters, LLC; Vegas City Arcade, LLC; and Vegas Arcade LLC. The indictment alleges that the defendants then used these businesses to fraudulently apply for business license applications filed with the city cities of Springfield, Joplin and Branson West and to obtain utilities contracts, lease agreements and business incorporation documents filed with the State of Missouri.
According to the indictment, the defendants ran illegal gambling businesses under the guise of internet amusement arcade games, skill arcade games and adult arcades.
They hired local employees to work in businesses in southwest Missouri, which operated games of chance, gambling devices and slot machines, according to the Justice Department, in violation of Missouri and federal law.
Four businesses were located in Springfield: Big Win Arcade #1 at 1928 S. Glenstone, Big Win Arcade #2 at 1135 E. Commercial, Spin Hitters at 838-840 S. Glenstone and Vegas Arcade at 615 S. Scenic. One business, Spin Zone was in Joplin at 2331 E. 7th, and one was in Branson West at 16585 Missouri Highway 13.
The Justice Department said the case is part of Trump’s Operation Take Back America. Its mission, it said, is to marshal the full resources of the department “to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Eggert said the individuals were indicted “because the grand jury found that they had violated federal law by probable cause finding, and in no way was race, national considerations or origins considered and nor should it.”
Major Tad Peters with the Springfield Police Department said crime around the former gambling businesses has significantly dropped since they closed their doors.
