The former senator of New Hampshire, Andy Sanborn, who is also a proprietor of the well-known Concord Casino, continues to wrestle with accusing allegations of fraud connected to COVID-19 relief funds. The progression of his case experienced a recent lag as his defense requested for the hearing with the New Hampshire Lottery Commission to be put on hold. The defense counsel, Zachary Hafer, in justifying the request, cited Sanborn’s health problems, stating that Sanborn’s illness was severe and thus requested a two-month delay for the hearing. The lawyer also highlighted the lengthy duration of the investigation against Sanborn and emphasized the need for additional time for him to thoroughly acquaint himself with the specifics of the case.
As reported by NHPR, the Lottery Commission has consented to slated hearings for two months later. This rescheduling is expected to facilitate a heightened preparedness on the part of the defense. The hearing will ascertain whether Sanborn is competent for licensure in the state, a significant event scheduled prior to the expiry of his current license at the end of this year. With his licensure under threat, Sanborn and his defense have until December to orchestrate a course of action for the upcoming hearing that will ultimately determine whether he will retain his license.
Sanborn faced these accusations after an investigation period of eight months. Allegations posit that he misused around $844,000 in COVID-19 relief funds for his benefit, including buying luxury sports cars both for himself and his wife. The accusation maintains that Sanborn secured the COVID-19 relief funds fraudulently, submitting different credentials in the application and classifying his business under the category of miscellaneous. This effectively enabled him to bypass the regulation that excludes casinos from such privileges.
The chief compliance officer of the Lottery, John Conforti, penned down a comprehensive 260-page argument detailing reasons why the former senator should not be deemed suitable for a gaming license. He remarked: “Sanborn’s evident manipulation of federal funds is a consistent indicator of a disregard for legal protocols.”
Unfolding of the Legal Case Still Underway
Accusations leveled against the former senator assert that during the time of purchasing a $50,000 Porsche last year, his account balance was less than $1,000. However, in the court hearing on Monday, Hafer repudiated those accusations, asserting that the investigation was poorly conducted, at the absolute minimum. He argued: “If one wants to buy a car with the personal funds they possessed during the loan sanction period, that’s different than if they misused and squandered the loan money. This distinction will come to light in the impending hearing.”
Hafer argued that an unidentified third party provided guidance to his client regarding the matters under scrutiny. He additionally conveyed that despite the state’s dissatisfaction with the advice received by his client, it did not demonstrate that they acted in malice. A reassurance was given by Hafer affirming that they were fully prepared to tackle the allegations directly.
