Casino Co-Owner to Give Up License
The co-owner of the Bicycle Club Casino has agreed to sell his holdings in the business and relinquish his gambling license in a settlement with the state attorney general’s office.
George Hardie was accused of allowing kickbacks and drug dealing at the casino, among other things, and “willfully circumvented cash reporting requirements to the IRS,” the state attorney general’s office said in a statement released Tuesday.
“We have sought the toughest penalty possible under existing state law,” state Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren said in a statement.
In the settlement, Hardie denied any wrongdoing and agreed to sell his 15% stake in the club within the next five years and pay an assessment of $220,000. After relinquishing his ownership interest, Hardie will not be eligible to apply for a gaming license for three years.
Larry Feldman, a lawyer for Hardie, said his client was innocent, noting that the state did not impose a fine or immediately strip him of his gaming license.
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