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SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — (Associated Press) - Florida's statewide prosecutor told a jury that a Jacksonville attorney "gamed" the legal system in creating a network of gambling centers throughout Florida under the guise of a charitable veterans group.
Statewide prosecutor Nicholas Cox told jurors Thursday that attorney Kelly Mathis built up the network of casinos by claiming they were businesses where customers could pay to use a computer with Internet access.
In opening statements of Mathis' trial, Cox noted that most customers at the Allied Veterans Internet cafes played slot-machine games and didn't use the Internet. He also said very little of the $300 million generated by the Internet cafes went to helping veterans.
The defense said Mathis was an attorney who only did legal work for Allied Veterans, but the prosecution claims he was the mastermind.
On Thursday, a witness who may have sparked the investigation into the group took the stand.
Thomas Brennan said he first went into an Allied Veterans of the World Internet cafe in January 2010.
"I saw a large number, a big number of what looked to me like electronic slot machines," said Brennan in court.
Brennan, a veteran, said he had used internet cafes before to check emails and was surprised to see what was behind the doors of Allied Veterans.
"This is not an internet cafe as I would know it. This is a gambling facility," said Brennan.
Brennan said that is when he notified various Seminole County officials, including the Sheriff's Office. An investigation into Allied Veterans was launched.
Brennan said the sheriff personally called him to thank him for his tip. But during cross-examination, the defense attorney asked Brennan if he ever contacted the owners of the Allied Veterans for more information about its operation. He said no.
"Would it be interesting for you to know that Allied Veterans of the World did, in fact, donate millions of dollars to veterans' causes?" the defense attorney asked Brennan.
"It would be interesting, yes," Brennan said.
Mathis is pleading not guilty to dozens of charges. He claims he only gave legal advice and did nothing wrong.
