The owner of the Lucky Lady card room in San Diego, California, who has operated the casino for 43 years, is suing because the city recently denied the renewal of his license, which expires in November.
Attorneys for Stanley Penn on July 6 filed suit claiming that the card room owner was denied a renewal because he failed to mention in the annual permit application that he has been named in a 2016 federal indictment, in which he and 13 others were charged with operating an illegal betting ring and other racketeering.
Penn’s lawyers argue that it was Penn’s age that caused him to neglect the mention the indictment.
Commenting on the indictment FBI agent Eric S. Birnbaum said, “This case is a classic example of how a legitimate business can be infiltrated and used to facilitate criminal activity by members of a criminal enterprise,” adding, “The FBI is committed to disrupting and dismantling criminal enterprises that seek to use legitimate businesses as a platform for their criminal activity.”
The Lucky Lady employs 100 people, whose jobs are on the line, says Penn. He told the San Diego Reader, “The great majority are women, minorities and persons over 45 years of age who are the sole source of support for their families; many are decades-long employees. Their average compensation is over $30 an hour including wages and tips. These workers are highly unlikely to be able to obtain similar-compensating positions if the card room is shut down.”
The denial is part of a longtime attempt by the city and police department to shut down the card rooms. The Lucky Lady is the last remaining card room in the city.
