OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — More than $2.8 million in forfeited bingo profits have been distributed to ten Okaloosa County charities, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida announced Thursday.
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The funds were recovered through criminal asset forfeiture actions against Larry and Dixie Masino, who were convicted of illegal gambling and money laundering tied to their operation of Racetrack Bingo in Fort Walton Beach.
U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin said the recovery demonstrates his office’s commitment to ensuring criminals do not profit from their wrongdoing.
“This case required substantial effort from our state and federal law enforcement partners to investigate and bring the defendants to justice, and this multi-million-dollar recovery by my office and remission to victim charities will have a meaningful impact on our community,” said Mr Heekin.
Between 2006 and 2015, the Masinos reportedly pocketed more than $5.8 million in unlawful gambling proceeds, which should have gone to nonprofit partners or to bingo players as prizes. As part of their sentences, the couple was required to forfeit money seized from their bank accounts and three real properties.
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The Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section authorized the remission of forfeited funds, which were then distributed to the following Fort Walton Beach Charities LLC member nonprofits:
- The ARC of the Emerald Coast, formerly Horizons of Okaloosa County, Inc.
- Boys and Girls Club of the Emerald Coast
- Emerald Coast Science Center
- Habitat for Humanity in Okaloosa County
- Horizons Foundation of Okaloosa County
- Mental Health Association of Okaloosa and Walton Counties
- Northwest Florida Ballet
- Northwest Florida Fair Association
- Okaloosa County Festival Association
- Order Sons of Italy in America, Joseph B. Franzalia Lodge 2422
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“After all these years of investigation and legal battles, I am thrilled to see these forfeited funds returned to the deserving charities of Okaloosa County,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden.
“This long-awaited justice not only holds the perpetrators accountable but also restores vital resources to organizations that uplift our community.”
Ron Loecker, special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office, said the Masinos’ scheme represented a betrayal of charitable trust.
“Through financial fraud, Larry and Dixie Masino betrayed charities providing important services to their communities,” said Mr Loecker.
“I am proud of the work IRS Criminal Investigation special agents, our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office did to ensure these charities were made whole again.”
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The forfeiture actions were the result of a joint investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia H. Forbes prosecuted the case.
