Anadarko company owner, wife jailed in gambling inquiry

In one Oklahoma bank account, over two years, he deposited $75 million, prosecutors say.

Burns, 37, turned himself in Tuesday morning at the Caddo County jail after he was accused of providing gaming software to an illegal gambling operation in Florida. He was released Tuesday afternoon on a $500,000 bond.

“What we do is legal,” he told The Oklahoman Monday night.

His wife, Kristin Amanda Burns, 38, was arrested Monday night and released Tuesday from the Cleveland County jail on a $100,000 bond.

Both are charged in Oklahoma with being fugitives from justice.

A federal judge in Oklahoma City on Monday authorized a search of Chase Burns' company, International Internet Technologies LLC. State and federal agents spent Tuesday removing evidence from the IIT building in Anadarko.

“It is believed to be the main hub for servers that are used by multiple illegal casinos disguised as Internet cafes … in … Florida,” Oklahoma Assistant Attorney General Megan Tilly said.

Arrests in other states

Authorities in Florida and other states, meanwhile, also were making arrests Tuesday and conducting searches related to the gambling investigation. Almost 60 arrests and 50 searches of Internet cafes were planned.

“It is my understanding that the state of Florida has executed more than 40 arrest warrants today in connection with this investigation,” Tilly said.

Among those arrested in Florida was Jerry Wayne Bass, 62, national commander of Allied Veterans of the World.

Authorities allege Allied Veterans began operating so-called fundraising centers in 2007 and claimed most of the net profits went to veterans' charities.

“In fact, the ‘fundraising centers' were nothing more than Internet casinos that operated slot machines in violation of Florida's gambling laws,” Internal Revenue Service Special Agent Michael Favors wrote in a court affidavit.