Corrupt Sweepstakes Baron in Illinois Sentenced to 5 1⁄2 Years Imprisonment for Bribing Politicians
In a courtroom in Chicago, on October 12, 2023, James T. Weiss, the owner of an Illinois sweepstakes machine business, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison. The sentence came after Weiss was convicted of honest services fraud, wire fraud, and bribery in June 2023.
Weiss, who has been associated with the Illinois sweepstakes machine industry, was found guilty of bribing two state lawmakers. One of the lawmakers bribed was State Rep. Luis Arroyo (D), who was sentenced to five years in prison in 2022 for accepting $32.5K in bribes from Weiss. Another lawmaker bribed was State Senator Terry Link (D), who was also involved in the scandal and was convicted of tax evasion in 2020, awaiting sentencing.
During the sentencing, Judge Steven Seeger criticized Weiss for solidifying the city of Chicago as the capital of corruption. He bemoaned the prevalent corruption in Chicago politics and referred to Weiss' actions as adding another star to Chicago's walk of shame on the sidewalk of corruption.
The evidence against Weiss included secret recordings made by the FBI, in which Arroyo offered Link a check for $2,500. Federal agents had instructed Link to make the checks out in the name of "Katherine Hunter," but Hunter didn't exist.
Weiss, in his defense, denied bribing the lawmakers. His lawyers argued that the bribery scheme had been spearheaded by Arroyo and that their client had merely naively gone along with it. However, Judge Seeger believed that the bribery scheme was Weiss' idea.
Arroyo's attempt to recruit Link into the scheme in June 2019 led to his downfall. The bribery scandal involving Weiss, Arroyo, and Link has cast a shadow over the Illinois sweepstakes machine industry, which was once widely used in the state.
For an accurate, up-to-date, and detailed account of the Illinois sweepstakes bribery investigations, review of dedicated news sources or legal documents would be necessary.
Terry Link, a State Senator involved in the scandal, has not yet been sentenced for his tax evasion conviction in 2020.
James Weiss' defense argued that his involvement in the bribery scheme was due to his naivety and Arroyo's leadership.
In a twist of events, it was the secret recordings made by the FBI that implicated both Arroyo and Link in the bribery deal.
The conviction of James Weiss has raised concerns about the policy and legislation surrounding casino-and-gambling and casino-games in Illinois, given his role in the industry.
Luis Arroyo's conviction and sentencing took place in 2022, a year prior to Weiss' sentencing, for accepting $32.5K in bribes.
