Accused loan shark targeted gamblers inside Encore Boston Harbor casino, Attorney General says
An accused loan shark was arrested earlier this month inside Encore Boston Harbor Casino, where she was loaning money to gamblers at extreme interest rates. Kimanh Le, 50, of Quincy, was indicted by a grand jury on Mar. 31 and arrested Sunday inside the Everett casino, Attorney General Maura Healey’s office announced. Le has pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal usury, also known as loansharking.”Loan sharks operating inside of a casino provide usurious loans, targeting individuals who are problem gamblers, struggling financially or, for some reason, are unwilling to seek credit from legal sources,” the AG’s office said in a statement.Le is accused of loaning money to gamblers in the form of cash or chips and charging illegally high interest rates of 5% per day or 10% per week, the AG’s office said. Massachusetts laws cap annual interest on loans at 20%. “These charges are the result of an investigation by the State Police Gaming Enforcement Unit and Gaming Enforcement Division assigned to the Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and Encore Boston Harbor Casino,” the AG’s office said.Le is also accused of loansharking in Dorchester and Quincy. Le was released on personal recognizance after her arraignment and is scheduled for a pretrial conference in Suffolk Superior Court on June 24.
An accused loan shark was arrested earlier this month inside Encore Boston Harbor Casino, where she was loaning money to gamblers at extreme interest rates.
Kimanh Le, 50, of Quincy, was indicted by a grand jury on Mar. 31 and arrested Sunday inside the Everett casino, Attorney General Maura Healey’s office announced. Le has pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal usury, also known as loansharking.
“Loan sharks operating inside of a casino provide usurious loans, targeting individuals who are problem gamblers, struggling financially or, for some reason, are unwilling to seek credit from legal sources,” the AG’s office said in a statement.
Le is accused of loaning money to gamblers in the form of cash or chips and charging illegally high interest rates of 5% per day or 10% per week, the AG’s office said. Massachusetts laws cap annual interest on loans at 20%.
“These charges are the result of an investigation by the State Police Gaming Enforcement Unit and Gaming Enforcement Division assigned to the Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and Encore Boston Harbor Casino,” the AG’s office said.
Le is also accused of loansharking in Dorchester and Quincy.
Le was released on personal recognizance after her arraignment and is scheduled for a pretrial conference in Suffolk Superior Court on June 24.
