Lawsuit filed after illegal gambling raids in Macon, Warner Robins

A civil lawsuit alleging racketeering and illegal gambling activities has been filed by Houston County’s district attorney following raids on convenience stores in multiple jurisdictions last month.

Filed against 14 defendants in Superior Court, the April 27 lawsuit alleges the illegal payout of cash winnings at commercial gambling machines at more than 20 businesses, mostly convenience stores.

“The store locations are purported convenience stores while others are merely store fronts established solely for the purpose of illegal gambling, all of which operate in effect as mini-casinos,” the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants also paid themselves from funds generated by the machines from October 2013 through June 2015, allegedly having falsified reports to the state.

Customers spent more than $6 million gambling on the machines from October 2013 to June 2015, with $5.3 million reported in customer winnings. The net of about $800,000 was split among the store locations and gambling machine owners, the lawsuit alleges.

For the past three years, more than $27 million was spent by people playing the gambling machines and $19.8 million was paid out in cash, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit, which claims the defendants owe more than a $1 million in unpaid use and sales taxes on the $19.8 million in payouts, seeks the forfeiture of property, cars, cash and other items related to the alleged illegal gambling activities.

The defendants named in the suit are all accused of racketeering. They are Deepak Bajaj and Rebecca Bajaj, both of Warner Robins; Raman Ankitkumar Patel, Babubhai Patel, Kanaiyalal Patel, Kapilaben Patel, Kokilaben Patel, Madan Popli, Parinda Patel, Pulkit Patel, Richa Patel, and Rajesh Popli, all of Centerville; Hardeep Sanghera of Macon; and Raman Kumar of Millegeville.

The stores listed in the lawsuit are:

▪  Food and Gas Mart, 1904 Shurling Drive, Macon.

▪ 7-21-21 Gas & Food Mart, 1803 Pio Nono Ave., Macon.

▪ M M Gas & Food Mart, 2760 Montpelier Ave., Macon.

▪ Lucky Food Mart, 1290 Gray Highway, Macon.

▪ 7-11-8 Gas & Food Mart, 1660 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins.

▪ 7-11-9 Gas & Food Mart, 750 Russell Parkway, Warner Robins.

▪ 7 Star Petroleum, 209 E. Third St., Jackson.

▪ PB Gas and Food Mart, 4765 Riverside Drive; Macon.

▪ 747 Gas and Food Mart, 191 W. Andrews St., Milledgeville.

▪ HS Petroleum, 4331 Pio Nono Ave., Macon.

▪ MP2 Petroleum, 4331 Pio Nono Ave.; Macon.

▪ Crossroads Spirits, 3510 U.S. 41 North, Centerville.

▪ 7-11-18 Gas and Food Mart, 3200 High Falls Road, Griffin.

▪ 7-11-21 Petroleum Inc., 1904 Shurling Drive; Macon.

▪ 7-7-11 Gas and Food Mart, 4765 Riverside Drive; Macon.

▪ 777 Grocery, 2760 Montpelier Ave.; Macon.

▪ 7 Star Movies and Productions, 4765 Riverside Drive, Macon.

▪ MP Petroleum, 1803 Pio Nono Ave., Macon.

▪ RP Petroleum, 1803 Pio Nono Ave., Macon.

▪ 7 Food & Gas Mart, 4173 Cavalier Drive, Macon.

▪ MP Food Mart, 3750 Pio Nono Ave., Macon.

Houston County District Attorney George Hartwig declined comment on the lawsuit. He said the investigation is ongoing.

The raids were conducted by multiple agencies in Warner Robins, Centerville, Macon, Milledgeville and Jackson, police said.

In recent years, authorities across Middle Georgia have targeted dozens of stores related to illegal gambling practices.

This story was originally published May 6, 2016 at 7:59 PM with the headline "Lawsuit filed after illegal gambling raids in Macon, Warner Robins."