Residents from Texas have been accused by the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas of running an unlawful gambling enterprise that has made over $22 million in proceeds. According to federal officers, these residents conspired to operate illegal game rooms as well as conspiring to disguise and conceal the money they made from these operations by making fraudulent transactions. The bust is considered one of the biggest in southern Texas' history.

In one of the biggest law enforcement operations ever conducted in the Southern District of Texas, federal authorities have shut down a major illegal gambling ring allegedly operating in the Houston area. The sweeping crackdown, known as Operation Double Down, resulted in the seizure of more than $16 million in cash, firearms, luxury items, and property (including 100 Rolex watches) and the arrest of numerous individuals.

Over a dozen residents accused

As stated by the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas, the operation targeted more than a dozen Houston-area residents accused of running illicit game rooms that generated over $22 million in illegal proceeds. The group also allegedly engaged in money laundering activities in an effort to conceal the origin of their illegal earnings.

At the center of the case is Nizar Ali of Richmond, Texas, who, along with 14 others, is accused of conspiring to operate unlicensed gambling facilities and conducting fraudulent financial transactions to disguise the source of the profits. Authorities allege the network used numerous locations across Houston and surrounding communities, including sites with names like Yellow Building and El Portal, to run their operations.

In a statement on Thursday, US Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei called the takedown 'one of the largest ever law enforcement operations in the Southern District of Texas,' emphasizing the scale and scope of the investigation.

Other residents charged in connection with the operation include:

  • Naeem Ali and Amer Khan, both from Richmond
  • Ishan Dhuka and Sahil Karovalia, both from Rosenberg
  • Sarfarez Maredia and Shoaib Maredia of Sugar Land
  • Yolanda Figueroa, from Pasadena
  • Viviana Alvarado, from LaPorte
  • Anabel Eloisa Guevarra, Precela Solis, Maria Delarosa, Claudia Calderon, and Lucia Hernandez, all from Houston

Two other suspects - Sayed Ali from Richmond and Stephanie Huerta from Houston - remain fugitives. Arrest warrants have been issued for both.

The enormity of the assets seized

The April 2 operation involved over 700 law enforcement officers from a total of 18 different agencies, executing 45 search warrants and 40 seizure warrants. Among the items recovered were $5 million worth of vehicles and property, over $4.5 million in cash, more than 2,000 slot machines, eight firearms, and assets worth $6.5 million seized from various financial institutions. The seizure even included 100 Rolex watches.

In addition to the primary defendants, authorities also detained 31 individuals living in the country illegally on a range of immigration and firearms-related charges.

Accused faces more charges, including conspiracy

The group now faces an array of federal charges, including conspiracy, interstate travel for racketeering, conspiracy with relation to money laundering, and operating an illegal gambling business. Each of the three charges carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, while the money laundering charge could lead to up to 20 years behind bars.

Furthermore, Nizar Ali faces an additional 32 counts of federal program bribery for reportedly paying over $500,000 in bribes to an undercover officer in a bid to protect the illegal game rooms from law enforcement interference. If convicted, he could receive up to 10 years per count.

The Justice Department praised the coordinated efforts of federal, state, and local agencies involved in the operation, marking the bust as a significant victory against organized illegal gambling and associated financial crimes in the region.