Ron
01-09-2007, 03:39 PM
By CAROL DeMARE (http://timesunion.com/TUNews/author/AuthorPage.aspx?AuthorNum=36), Staff writer
Last updated: 2:35 p.m., Tuesday, January 9, 2007
ALBANY - County Comptroller Michael Conners put Capital District Off-Track Betting on notice today that he has launched an investigation into possible irregularities in the betting organization's check-cashing practices.
Conners said he has received calls from employees reporting what he called questionable handling of checks.
He said he was told that big bettors have either bounced checks or allowed to present checks that were held until the bettor could make good on them. The checks that were held came from frequent customers who either bet in-person or through Phone-a-Bet.
``I want to see the original documents,'' Conners said after the annual meeting this morning of Capital OTB's board of directors. ``If a check is presented on wagers, did it clear; are they letting people present checks that they cannot honor at the time.''
The practice is ``reminiscent'' of prior operations at OTB where officials afforded special treatment to valued customers, Conners said. In fact, he said ``two names from back then have resurfaced'' as people who got that type of treatment with check-cashing privileges involving thousands of dollars. Albany County is the largest-member county of Capital OTB, generating 36 percent of the handle and receiving about 18 percent of the distribution of funds, Conners said, explaining he feels that gives him the authority to step in.
read the rest of the story here:
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=552027&category=REGIONOTHER&BCCode=&newsdate=1/9/2007
Last updated: 2:35 p.m., Tuesday, January 9, 2007
ALBANY - County Comptroller Michael Conners put Capital District Off-Track Betting on notice today that he has launched an investigation into possible irregularities in the betting organization's check-cashing practices.
Conners said he has received calls from employees reporting what he called questionable handling of checks.
He said he was told that big bettors have either bounced checks or allowed to present checks that were held until the bettor could make good on them. The checks that were held came from frequent customers who either bet in-person or through Phone-a-Bet.
``I want to see the original documents,'' Conners said after the annual meeting this morning of Capital OTB's board of directors. ``If a check is presented on wagers, did it clear; are they letting people present checks that they cannot honor at the time.''
The practice is ``reminiscent'' of prior operations at OTB where officials afforded special treatment to valued customers, Conners said. In fact, he said ``two names from back then have resurfaced'' as people who got that type of treatment with check-cashing privileges involving thousands of dollars. Albany County is the largest-member county of Capital OTB, generating 36 percent of the handle and receiving about 18 percent of the distribution of funds, Conners said, explaining he feels that gives him the authority to step in.
read the rest of the story here:
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=552027&category=REGIONOTHER&BCCode=&newsdate=1/9/2007