At lunch time Tuesday in Alpharetta, a steady stream of would-be diners approached Pepperoni’s Tavern on Old Milton Parkway. They found the doors locked.
“PRIVATE PARTY,” said signs apparently posted the previous day. “INVITED GUESTS ONLY. MONDAY MARCH 16. 5 P.M. UNTIL 11 P.M. WE WILL REOPEN AT 11 P.M.”
Before the “private party” was over, however, police from four agencies had raided the place and arrested 23 people who, they said, were gambling on the upcoming NCAA playoffs.
“We were eating across the way when we saw SWAT gathering,” said a man who tried the locked door Tuesday, apparently hoping to lunch at Pepperoni’s with his wife. “Glad we didn’t have dinner here last night,” he said before hurrying away.
According to Alpharetta police spokesman George Gordon, 65 people were detained after police found “a large gambling operation in progress based upon the NCAA basketball tournament.”
Of those, 23 were charged with illegal gambling. Police also confiscated several handguns and an undisclosed amount of cash. On Tuesday, Gordon said his office would not comment fully until later this week. The names of those arrested have not been released.
So what about the estimated 40 million Americans — including President Obama — who will fill NCAA tournament brackets? Are they at risk of getting popped?
Much of the activity will be attached to sports-related websites that don’t involve betting. But there are abundant opportunities for low-stakes wagering, including seemingly innocent office pools that employers have allowed for years.
Be aware: Even as you plunk down your $5 and scribble Kentucky as your national champion, you’re technically breaking the law in Georgia.
Tracy Moon, an attorney for Fisher & Phillips, said that according to Georgia law, exchanging money in pools could lead to a minimum of one year up to five years in prison, along with a $20,000 fine.
“It used to be, many employees did it to encourage teamwork and morale. But it is unlawful. It is gambling, and as a result the employer could be criminally liable,” Moon said.
“Now, more and more employers don’t allow it. There are others who do not disallow it, but they don’t sanction it either. They know it goes on. As long as it is not too obvious, they look the other way.”
On the other hand, there’s no indication that law enforcement agencies are training their sights on office pools.
The Pepperoni’s Tavern case might be different, falling under the heading of commercial gambling, Moon said. The restaurant’s Facebook page and official website heavily promoted March Madness and touted an online game the restaurant was conducting.
“With a commercial venture, it is a way to attract business,” Moon said. “From my point of view, Pepperoni’s would have a problem” even if just its employees were involved.
“But this seems broader. Other individuals were involved, and that is clearly unlawful,” Moon said. “This was a major situation with a lot of money involved.”
While police have not released full details on the arrests, the signs on the doors suggest that the restaurant took some pains to avoid detection.
“It seems like something more than just the normal operation of business was going on,” Moon said. “It seems like they were trying to hide it.”
Located in the Villages at Park Bridge, Pepperoni’s is the center of a thriving and affluent stretch of shops. The village includes several dentists, an eye doctor and an orthodontist. There is a swank barbershop and a hip nail salon. A pet shop specializes in organic food.
“This is an affluent area and the cops do a great job to keep it safe. So what happened seems very unusual,” said Alex White, owner of Shane’s Rib Shack. Speaking of Pepperoni’s he said: “It is a great restaurant and they have been in the community for a while.”
Andrey Svetlyakov, owner of Andrey’s Barbershop, sat outside of his empty shop with two of his barbers, soaking in the sun and watching soccer moms dart in and out of Starbucks.
“We never saw anything suspicious. So we were shocked. This is a very family-oriented neighborhood,” Svetlyakov said.
Svetlyakov said he and his barbers ate and watched games at Pepperoni’s all the time. He said the staff of Pepperoni’s gets their hair cut at his shop.
“But they just got a new owner,” Svetlyakov said. “Maybe they figured out a new way to run a business.”
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