Concord Casino Owner Admits Misusing $255K In COVID-19 Relief, Pleads Guilty To Federal Theft Count

CONCORD, NH — A Concord business owner and former state Senator from Bedford pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to theft of government funds after prosecutors said he used pandemic relief money for personal expenses.

Anthony “Andy” Sanborn, 64, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Landya B. McCafferty, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan.

McCafferty scheduled sentencing for Oct. 15.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Sanborn owned and operated Win Win Win, which did business as the Concord Casino. Prosecutors said Sanborn applied for and obtained $844,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loan funding from the Small Business Administration and certified he would use the proceeds solely as working capital for the business.

Instead, Sanborn misused $255,232.72 of those funds on personal expenditures. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said on Jan. 18, 2022, Sanborn used $48,750 in EIDL funds to buy a 2006 Porsche Cayman.

“This office is dedicated to combating fraud and prosecuting those who wrongfully take money from American taxpayers,” Creegan said. “Today’s conviction was the result of incredible work done by a dedicated team of agents. We and our law enforcement partners will continue to diligently investigate those who target federal benefits programs.”

Ted E. Docks, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, said, “This casino owner must’ve thought he hit the jackpot when he got more than a quarter of a million dollars set aside to keep businesses afloat amid a pandemic battering our economy. But the odds and the FBI finally caught up with him when he misused that money for his own financial gain.”

He added, “The FBI simply won’t stand for opportunists thinking they can defraud the federal government, live large, and get away with it. We will aggressively pursue anyone foolish enough to do so.”

The charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. However, previous reports have stated Sanborn reached a deal of one year and one day in prison for the guilty plea.

Sanborn is a former Republican state Senator. In 2008, he lost the District 7 seat, representing several Capital Region and Lakes Region communities, by about 1,100 votes. Two years later, Sanborn easily won the open seat by more than 2,000 votes. After the 2010 redistricting, which moved his hometown of Henniker into a safe-Democrat district, Sanborn and his wife bought a house in Bedford, and he ran for the District 9 seat. He won by about 200 votes against Democrat Lee Nyquist. Two years later, Sanborn beat Nyquist by 1,500 votes, and beat him again in 2016 by more than 2,300 votes. Sanborn gave up his seat to run for the 1st Congressional District seat, placing second against Eddie Edwards by about 3,000 votes.

The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. The Department of Justice also said on April 7 it created the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which it said is focused on investigating and prosecuting fraud against the public.

Sanborn still faces state charges in Merrimack County Superior Court. He is accused of defrauding another pandemic program and has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Sanborn is also challenging the revocation of the casino license, Concord’s only license, which has been a detriment to many of the nonprofits and charities that utilize its revenue.