Bond has been revoked for the owner of Il Villagio, who has been accused of ripping off elderly gamblers.
Rima Ray, 44, of St. Augustine, was being held without bond this weekend at the Sumter County Detention Center. She is accused of extracting millions of dollars through the illegal gambling establishment on U.S. Hwy. 441 in the Lady Lake section of Sumter County. Ray, who clearly has facial hair but identifies as a female, is facing numerous charges in connection with the internet cafe.
State Attorney Bill Gladson, in a recent press conference, said gambling establishments like Il Villagio, take advantage of older people who sometimes can’t afford to lose their money. He said since Il Villagio opened in January 2023 until it was closed in July, an estimated $24 million was processed through various bank accounts.
Ray was originally arrested in July driving a Maserati in St. Johns County and carrying nearly $350,000 in cash. Two other employees, assistant manager Barbara Buzzard, 67, of Spruce Creek South in Summerfield, and business manager Terence Morgan, 69, of Ocala, also were arrested in mid-September…