Former state senator accused of spending COVID-19 aid mortgage on luxurious automobiles

CONCORD, N.H. — A former state senator was accused Wednesday of mendacity with the intention to get a COVID-19 aid mortgage for his on line casino and utilizing the cash to purchase luxurious automobiles for himself and his spouse, a Republican chief within the New Hampshire House.

The allegations in opposition to former Sen. Andy Sanborn had been introduced by the legal professional common’s workplace, which critiques the house owners of charitable gaming companies each 5 years. Sanborn owns the Concord Casino inside The Draft Sports Bar and Grill in Concord and is looking for to open a a lot bigger venue a number of miles away, however the state lottery fee is now transferring to completely ban him from working any such enterprise.

The fee gave Sanborn 10 days to request a listening to. In the meantime, federal authorities have been notified, and the state has begun a prison investigation, stated Attorney General John Formella.

“This case highlights the importance of law enforcement’s role in keeping illegal activity out of New Hampshire’s charitable gaming industry,” he stated in a press release. “Our obligation to protect the public demands that we take action against any person who is found to have used their regulated casino to enrich themselves with fraudulently obtained taxpayer funds.”

Sanborn, of Bedford, served 4 phrases within the state Senate earlier than unsuccessfully operating for Congress in 2018. His spouse, Laurie Sanborn, is in her seventh time period within the House, the place she serves as speaker professional tempore and chair of the Ways and Means Committee. Neither responded to emails looking for remark Wednesday; Laurie Sanborn’s telephone was not accepting new voicemail messages.

According to the investigation, Sanborn fraudulently obtained $844,000 in funding from the Small Business Administration between December 2021 and February 2022. Casinos and charitable gaming services weren’t eligible for such loans, however Sanborn omitted his enterprise title, “Concord Casino,” from his utility and listed his major enterprise exercise as “miscellaneous services.”

He’s accused of spending $181,000 on two Porsche race automobiles and $80,000 on a Ferrari for his spouse. Sanborn additionally paid himself greater than $183,000 for what he characterised as lease for his Concord properties, the legal professional common stated.

In June, the Concord Planning Board accepted his proposal to construct a 24,000-square-foot on line casino and restaurant, with the potential for including a resort and occasion heart. According to the Concord Monitor, the board had been contemplating the proposal for months when Sanborn compelled a vote regardless of some members’ issues a couple of lack of public vetting.