Chavdar Vasilev is a journalist covering the casino and sports betting market sectors for CasinoBeats. He joined CasinoBeats in May 2025 and reports on industry-shaping stories across the US and beyond, including legislative debates, market...
Read Full BioA St. Augustine woman, who’s accused of running a $24 million illegal gambling network, is demanding the return of cash and a gold bar that police seized during a traffic stop in July. The unusual court filing is the latest turn in the saga that has exposed the persistence of Florida’s underground gambling scene, which reaches internationally as far as Belize.
The Traffic Stop & Seized Assets
According to the St. Johns County Citizen, deputies in St. Johns County pulled over Rima Ray near her house in St. Augustine on July 2. During the stop, deputies discovered $340,872 in cash, a 1-kilogram gold-colored bar, a USB flash drive, and a notebook containing financial records.
Records show that Ray appeared nervous and gave conflicting explanations on the origin of the cash. First, she said it was from a casino sale in Belize, then a liquidation business in Florida.
Prosecutors confiscated the items, claiming they were tied to criminal activity. On July 21, Ray was arrested for allegedly running the IL Villagio Senior Entertainment Center in Lady Lake. The business operated as an unlicensed casino. Residents described the facility as a “local version of the Hard Rock Casino.”
Ray’s attorneys are now challenging the seizure, arguing that authorities have failed to comply with the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act. The law sets deadlines for seizure notifications and court filings.
Ray claims that, as the police did not follow the proper steps, the continued detention of her property is unlawful. She is demanding the immediate return of the items, plus legal fees and court costs.
Allegations of a $24 Million Gambling Ring
Just days before Ray’s lawsuit, Florida State Attorney Bill Gladson held a press conference about the Il Villagio bust. He stated he had charged her and two others with racketeering, three counts of money laundering, keeping a gambling house, and possession of slot machines.
Gladson filed the charges under the state’s RICO statute, typically reserved for use in cases involving organized crime.
According to his office, investigators revealed that over $24 million flowed through accounts tied to the illegal operation between January 2023 and July 2025. The money was moved through shell companies, wire transfers, and overseas accounts. Ray allegedly moved $3 million directly into personal accounts. At the same time, she reported an annual income of less than $20,000.
State gaming regulators argue that the operation preyed on retirees and low-income residents. It offered slot-style machines with no oversight, no guaranteed payouts, and no consumer protections.
Belize Connection & Personal Background
The case has also expanded internationally. Reporting from Greater Belize Media revealed that Belize’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and Gaming Control Board are reviewing offshore dealings tied to Ray. The regulators are investigating whether she moved money from the Florida business through Belizean accounts or partnerships, raising suspicions of cross-border laundering.
Meanwhile, the Belize Ministry of Finance has revoked the gaming license for GMK Sky Limited, Ray’s company that operated Caribi Bleu Casino. Ray had other questionable dealings in the country. They include a golf cart business and an ATM that dispenses US currency, instead of the local dollar. Those further raised red flags.
The Belizean press also noted details of Ray’s personal history. It reports that she was born a woman but later transitioned. She is known as Remington Ray in the country. Legally, she’s still a woman.
A History of Arcade Crackdowns
This is not Ray’s first run-in with authorities. In 2019, the city of Jacksonville shut down another arcade that Ray owned. That business, Sweeps Royale, operated without the proper permits.
Her subsequent ventures, such as IL Villagio, illustrate what regulators describe as a pattern of re-emergence. One venue closes, and another opens under a new name or ownership structure.
According to the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC), despite numerous raids and seizures, operators of these arcades often resurface, rebrand, and reopen at another site.
Despite that, FGCC and local authorities have increased their enforcement efforts in recent months. From Port Richey to Fort Myers, raids have uncovered hundreds of machines and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
FGCC Director L. Carl Herold has previously warned that unregulated arcades “exploit vulnerable residents, siphon dollars from lawful gaming, and erode confidence in regulated operators.”
What Happens Next
Ray remains in custody awaiting trial on the racketeering and money laundering charges. Her motion to recover the seized cash and gold bar will likely receive a hearing by the end of the year.
If the court grants her motion, it could return a substantial fortune to an individual accused of exploiting Florida’s gambling laws. If not, it will mark another step in the state’s efforts to recover gains from illicit operations.
Either way, the outcome will have an impact beyond the defendant. It reflects the stakes in Florida’s ongoing battle against a thriving underground gambling economy. One that, like Ray herself, continues to defy easy categorization.
