Indiana: Law ends days of gambling on child support

Furthermore …
Law ends days of gambling on child support

A new state law regarding casino jackpots already has some big winners: Children whose parents were delinquent on child support payments.

Since October, Indiana casinos have been required to block jackpot payouts for Indiana gamblers with outstanding child support obligations. Already more than $650,000 has been collected from 376 men and women, according to Franklin Online, the Franklin College Statehouse bureau.

“This is one of the coolest things we’ve ever done,” said the legislation’s sponsor, Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond. “I think many of these folks are going to be happy to get this burden off their backs. It was a phenomenal thing to do.”

The jackpots seized include 19 from people who had never made even one of their court-ordered payments. There are 35 winners – or, more accurately, losers – who have had all or parts of their jackpot winnings seized more than once. One gambler had an $18,000 jackpot turned over.

Under the law, casinos must check the names of gamblers winning $1,200 or more against the list of delinquent child support payers and withhold money from those who owe. The Department of Child Services retains the money for 10 days for a possible appeal, then sends it to families.

State GOP ties to high roller under scrutiny

Timothy Durham, the Indianapolis businessman facing felony charges of bilking Fair Finance investors of $200 million, falls under scrutiny by Bloomberg BusinessWeek in a recent article describing him as “the Madoff of the Midwest.”

The article describes Durham’s taste for excess, including his lavish parties in Los Angeles, Miami and on his yacht in the Caribbean. It also notes a party at his 30,000-square-foot home near Geist Reservoir, attended by members of the Indianapolis Colts, in which Durham showed up dressed as Hugh Hefner and blew out candles on a cake sporting his image in the center of a million-dollar bill.

BusinessWeek also notes Durham’s role as a major donor to state Republicans. Indeed, a July 22 filing by the Fair Finance bankruptcy trustee identifies assets targeted by the estate, described as “fraudulent transfers” in the form of campaign contributions to candidates and political action committees. The largest contribution is to Gov. Mitch Daniels, for $285,000. Others include the Indiana Republican State Committee, $228,925; former Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, $193,882; Attorney General Greg Zoeller, $22,000; and the governor’s Aiming Higher PAC, $10,000.