Kris Johnson Deputy Editor -- CasinoBeats.com
Kris Johnson is a Charlotte-based deputy editor. He joined CasinoBeats in July 2025 and oversees the daily news flow of editing and publishing. Kris also reports on all aspects of the gambling industry with a...
Read Full BioA federal grand jury has indicted nine people in connection with an alleged illegal gambling ring spanning six locations across Missouri. The defendants face multiple charges under a 72-count indictment that is expansive in scope.
The defendants in the case are: Rahulkumar D. Patel, 40, Manishkumar M. Patel, 44, Mitulkumar M. Barot, 40, Sunilkumar N. Patel, 52, Tushar R. Patel, 39, Azghar Ali, 51, Harshadkumar S. Chaudhari, 38, Vipul A. Patel, 40, and Mohammed Iphtekar Ali Ajgar, 50.
Sweeping Charges Include Wire Fraud & Money Laundering
The federal indictment charges all nine defendants with one count each of participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, and operating illegal gambling businesses from July 1, 2022, to May 13, 2025. In addition to the conspiracy counts, all nine defendants were charged with at least one count of wire fraud, and eight defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The defendants hired local employees to “work in their businesses, which operated contests of chance, gambling devices, and slot machines in violation of Missouri and Federal law.” Four of the locations operated in Springfield (Big Win Arcade #1, Big Win Arcade #2, Spin Hitters, and Vegas Arcade), with one each in Joplin (Spin Zone) and Branson West (Vegas City Arcade).
While the businesses operated in Missouri, the defendants resided in several other states, including Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington. The indictment alleges that the defendants “transported the proceeds from the illegal gambling locations to several states to promote the ongoing illegal activity.
The indictment further stated: “The defendants hid the proceeds of their gambling ring by depositing them in various personal bank accounts within the United States and the Republic of India.”
The indictment claims that over $9.5 million in US currency was laundered in just over three years.
Case Comes Under Nationwide ‘Operation Take Back America’ Initiative
This case is part of Operation Take Back America. This nationwide initiative provides resources to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations and stem the flow of illegal immigration.
Local residents notified the police when criminal activity began to surface in the areas of the establishments, according to Springfield Police Department Major Tad Peters. Peters added that since the investigation and “shuttering of the illegal game rooms, these unwanted activities have diminished.”
Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson echoed those sentiments: “These were businesses that were basically operating as casinos, and they were affecting the quality of life of their neighbors in those areas of our community. I believe we have seen a change since this investigation took place.”
The illegal gambling conspiracy case comes after Anthony Villani, a captain in the Lucchese organized crime family, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison earlier this month for his involvement in money laundering, racketeering, and an illegal gambling business known as Rhino Sports.
