SC

Florida Lite Gov Bust Has SC Connections

The gambling ring that took down Florida Lieutenant Gov. Jennifer Carroll this week has a South Carolina connection. In fact a Palmetto State resident has been described by Florida prosecutors as the former ringleader of the multi-state operation. Carroll – the first African-American elected statewide in Florida – abruptly resigned…

The gambling ring that took down Florida Lieutenant Gov. Jennifer Carroll this week has a South Carolina connection. In fact a Palmetto State resident has been described by Florida prosecutors as the former ringleader of the multi-state operation.

Carroll – the first African-American elected statewide in Florida – abruptly resigned her post this week due to her affiliation with Allied Veterans of the World, a charity which state prosecutors allege was a front for a sophisticated gambling operation.

“Lt. Gov. Carroll resigned in an effort to keep her former affiliation with (Allied Veterans of the World) from distracting from the administration’s important work on behalf of Florida families. She made the right decision for the state and her family,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s office said in a statement.

Scott’s office acknowledged Carroll had been questioned by Florida law enforcement officials regarding her connections to the company, which ran glorified poker parlors in several states masquerading as “donation centers” for veterans.

One of the “key defendants” in the Carroll case is Johnny Duncan, a 62-year-old from Boiling Springs, S.C. In fact prosecutors – led by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi – claim Duncan is the former “commander” of the organization.

According to investigators, the company – which began its work in 1979 holding bingo games and bake sales for veterans – grossed $290 million from 2007 to 2012. However it donated just $6 million to veterans over that time.

“It is shameful that Allied Veterans of the World allegedly attempted to use the guise of charitable organization to help veterans in order to lend credibility to this $300 million gambling scheme,” Bondi said.

Bondi’s office says the arrests are the first phase of a multi-faceted sting operation. The next phase will examine “large sums” of cash Allied spent on lobbying and political contributions to Florida elected officials.

Ruh-roh …

Carroll, a veteran of the Gulf War, represented the organization from 2009-2010 while serving as a member of the Florida House of Representatives. In fact Allied was the primary source of income for Carroll’s public relations firm during that time period. The following year she appeared in a television commercial promoting the charity’s work.

In September 2010, Florida Gov. Rick Scott tapped her to be his lieutenant governor, referring to her as the “embodiment of the American dream.”

“I have and will continue to fully cooperate with any investigation,” Carroll said in a statement emailed to the Florida press.

Carroll claims the investigation into Allied isn’t targeting her, but in 2010 she introduced – and then quickly withdrew – legislation which would have legalized the sweepstakes games run by her employer.

Carroll is no stranger to controversy. In 2011 a former employee claims to have walked in on her engaging in a “sex act” with one of her female staffers. Carroll dismissed the claim, infamously stating that “black women that look like me don’t engage in relationships like that.”

She later apologized to Florida’s top gay advocate for her comment.

***

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36 comments

Cops March 14, 2013 at 9:41 am

Florida: The criminal capital of the world.

Reply
Grandparent March 14, 2013 at 10:19 am

Next to South Carolina, that is.

Reply
Cops March 14, 2013 at 9:41 am

Florida: The criminal capital of the world.

Reply
Grandparent March 14, 2013 at 10:19 am

Next to South Carolina, that is.

Reply
Jay March 14, 2013 at 10:14 am

How do these moral midgets get into such positions of power?

Reply
Smirks March 14, 2013 at 10:26 am

Trustworthy, intelligent people don’t run as often as they should, and when they do, they get clobbered by the vile, greedy, corrupt, power-hungry assholes being helped by the vile, greedy, corrupt, power-hungry assholes already in charge.

Reply
Buz Martin March 14, 2013 at 10:55 am

Exactly how Tom and Wrenzie Rice got where they are today.

Reply
Jay March 14, 2013 at 12:34 pm

Yes, and if those vile, greedy, corrupt, power-hungry assholes just happen to be a minority and you have a negative opinion of them… well you know the rest of that story.

Reply
Jay March 14, 2013 at 12:39 pm

Yes, and if these vile, greedy, corrupt, power-hungry assholes just happen to be minorities and you have a negative opinion of them… well you know how the rest of that story goes.

Reply
Jay March 14, 2013 at 10:14 am

How do these moral midgets get into such positions of power?

Reply
Smirks March 14, 2013 at 10:26 am

Trustworthy, intelligent people don’t run as often as they should, and when they do, they get clobbered by the vile, greedy, corrupt, power-hungry assholes being helped by the vile, greedy, corrupt, power-hungry assholes already in charge.

Reply
Boz Martin March 14, 2013 at 10:55 am

Exactly how Tom and Wrenzie Rice got where they are today.

Reply
Jay March 14, 2013 at 12:34 pm

Yes, and if those vile, greedy, corrupt, power-hungry assholes just happen to be a minority and you have a negative opinion of them… well you know the rest of that story.

Reply
Jay March 14, 2013 at 12:39 pm

Yes, and if these vile, greedy, corrupt, power-hungry assholes just happen to be minorities and you have a negative opinion of them… well you know how the rest of that story goes.

Reply
You know me March 14, 2013 at 10:23 am

Johnny Duncan is also the registered agent for X-500 Services LLC , along with Allied Veterans of the World . Wonder what X-500 is a front for?

Reply
Buz Martin March 14, 2013 at 10:59 am

Company Name:

X-500 SERVICES, LLC

Status:

Good Standing

Filing Date:

02/09/2010

Entity Type:

Limited-Liability Company

Filing State:

South Carolina (SC)

Company Age:

3 Years, 1 Month

Registered Agent:

Johnny Duncan
240 Old Master Ct
Boiling Spgs, SC 29316

Reply
Buz Martin March 14, 2013 at 11:01 am

My guess is that this one involved the actual stores or parlors, and the other involved the “charity” side of it.

Reply
You know me March 14, 2013 at 11:23 am

Wonder what Johnny’s rap sheet looks like.

Reply
You know me March 14, 2013 at 11:27 am

Seems that Johnny’s wife was involved and she is currently in a Florida jail.

Reply
You know me March 14, 2013 at 11:35 am
You know me March 14, 2013 at 10:23 am

Johnny Duncan is also the registered agent for X-500 Services LLC , along with Allied Veterans of the World . Wonder what X-500 is a front for?

Reply
Boz Martin March 14, 2013 at 10:59 am

Company Name:

X-500 SERVICES, LLC

Status:

Good Standing

Filing Date:

02/09/2010

Entity Type:

Limited-Liability Company

Filing State:

South Carolina (SC)

Company Age:

3 Years, 1 Month

Registered Agent:

Johnny Duncan
240 Old Master Ct
Boiling Spgs, SC 29316

Reply
Boz Martin March 14, 2013 at 11:01 am

My guess is that this one involved the actual stores or parlors, and the other involved the “charity” side of it.

Reply
You know me March 14, 2013 at 11:23 am

Wonder what Johnny’s rap sheet looks like.

Reply
You know me March 14, 2013 at 11:27 am

Seems that Johnny’s wife was involved and she is currently in a Florida jail.

Reply
You know me March 14, 2013 at 11:35 am
Vanguard16 March 14, 2013 at 11:39 am

Any kin to Jeff Duncan??

Reply
Vanguard16 March 14, 2013 at 11:39 am

Any kin to Jeff Duncan??

Reply
Philip Branton March 14, 2013 at 12:04 pm

Hmm…..We wonder how much the “Chucky Cheese” boys make on their “game”..?? Obviously the FBI had to step in before major bloodshed was used by the “accountant boyz” to pinch the operation.

Reply
Philip Branton March 14, 2013 at 12:04 pm

Hmm…..We wonder how much the “Chucky Cheese” boys make on their “game”..?? Obviously the FBI had to step in before major bloodshed was used by the “accountant boyz” to pinch the operation.

Reply
You know me March 14, 2013 at 1:09 pm

According to SC Secretary of State, there is a Jennifer Carroll listed as the registered agent for Area 50150 LLC.

Reply
You know me March 14, 2013 at 1:09 pm

According to SC Secretary of State, there is a Jennifer Carroll listed as the registered agent for Area 50150 LLC.

Reply
Truth seeker March 14, 2013 at 3:09 pm

Is this case in anyway tied to the Lexington ring in South Carolina that involves lexington town councilman Danny Frazier, sheriff James Metts, former state senator Jakie Knotts and other chief of police and politicians?

Reply
Truth seeker March 14, 2013 at 3:09 pm

Is this case in anyway tied to the Lexington ring in South Carolina that involves lexington town councilman Danny Frazier, sheriff James Metts, former state senator Jakie Knotts and other chief of police and politicians?

Reply
nitrat March 14, 2013 at 9:52 pm

There are 9 South Carolinians named in this so far…think I saw them listed in the Rock Hill Herald, though it could have been SCNOW.COM or MyrtleBeachOnLine. They are from all over the state.

Reply
nitrat March 14, 2013 at 9:52 pm

There are 9 South Carolinians named in this so far…think I saw them listed in the Rock Hill Herald, though it could have been SCNOW.COM or MyrtleBeachOnLine. They are from all over the state.

Reply

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