FOXWOODS REMAINS A RISKY BET! Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Theft

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe owns Foxwoods Resort Casino. Its treasurer, Steven Thomas, pleaded guilty to a theft charge this Thursday, a day after resigning as a member of the tribal council. His brother, Michael Thomas, a tribal council chairman, was convicted this past July of embezzling $100,000.

Casino-Free Milford Co-Chairman Steve Trettel expressed the following concerns, “The situation is unfortunate but not surprising. Corruption follows casinos wherever they go. Whether it is a case of casino management driven by greed or public officials driven by power, somebody ends up going to prison. These unfortunate acts of mistrust reveal the darker side of casinos and the economic ripple effect that casino proponents do not like to talk about.”

“The Mashantucket tribe has willingly overlooked criminal problems by keeping Steven Thomas on the council and funding his defense,” commented Co-Chairman John Seaver. Michael Thomas, former Mashantucket Pequot Chairman and Steven’s brother, was found guilty of stealing Mashantucket funds and faces up to 25 years in prison.

Trettel continued, “Foxwoods has a pending suitability hearing with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. The Gaming Commission recently found Plainridge to be unsuitable to operate a casino due to circumstances similar to the Steven Thomas case. Allegations of financial mismanagement by members of the Foxwoods tribal council should be of tremendous concern to Milford residents, as well as to the Gaming Commission.”