Massachusetts Woman Accused Of 'Loansharking' At Encore Boston Harbor CasinoState Says She Was Charging Five Percent Interest Per Day |
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A Massachusetts woman is accused of running a “loansharking” operation out of a casino in Boston.
Attorney General Maura Healey announced Friday that Kimanh Le, 50, has been indicted and arraigned in connection with running a criminal loansharking operation out of the Encore Boston Harbor Casino and in Suffolk and Norfolk Counties.
Le was arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court and charged with four counts of Criminal Usury after being arrested April 10 at the Boston casino.
Following her not guilty plea at the arraignment, Judge Michael Doolin released Le on her own personal recognizance with the condition that she stay away from Encore and any witnesses, surrender her passport, and remain in the state.
She is scheduled for a pretrial conference on June 24.
Le was indicted on the charges by a Statewide Grand Jury on March 31.
“Criminal usury (also known as loansharking) is a crime that involves loaning money to individuals at an interest rate that is above a maximum legal rate,” according to the announcement from the state. “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 state alleged that Le provided usurious loans to gamblers, in the form of cash and/or chips. She charged gamblers interest rates of five percent per day or 10 percent per week. Massachusetts usury laws cap annual interest on loans at 20 percent.
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