New Hampshire: Lawyers for casino owner fight fraud allegations at hearing

Thursday, December 14, 2023 3:52 PM
  • New Hampshire Public Radio

A former state senator and casino owner accused of buying luxury cars with a fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief loan kept financial records that were “sloppy at best” and nefarious at worst, an auditor testified Monday. But his attorney argued that the state is trying to destroy his business based on a sloppy investigation.

Andy Sanborn, a Republican from Bedford, did not attend the hearing he requested to appeal the state Lottery Commission’s August decision to permanently revoke his gaming operator’s license. His attorney said Sanborn was at a Boston hospital, accompanied by his wife, Laurie, a leader in the New Hampshire House.

Sanborn owns the Concord Casino within The Draft Sports Bar and Grill in Concord and is seeking to open another, much larger, charitable gaming venue a few miles (kilometers) away.