Fla. Lawyer Gets 6 Years in $300-Million Charity Gaming Case

The Jacksonville, Fla., lawyer deemed the mastermind of a scheme to use a nonprofit veterans’ organization to front a $300-million electronic gambling operation was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison, the Orlando Sentinel and the Associated Press report.

Kelly Mathis was convicted in October on more than 100 counts of racketeering and gambling offenses. Prosecutors said he and associates built a gambling ring out of some 50 supposed Internet cafes run by Allied Veterans of the World, where customers played electronic slots and only a sliver of revenue went to charity.

Mr. Mathis, a former president of the Jacksonville Bar Association, has maintained his innocence, saying he merely gave legal advice to Allied Veterans of the World on operating Internet cafes. He was allowed to remain free while he appeals his conviction. More than 50 people were arrested last March in connection with the alleged gaming ring, with several pleading guilty to minor offenses and receiving no jail time.