As Concord Casino owner and former state Sen. Andy Sanborn awaits a decision on the fate of his state gaming license, an affidavit and emails he and his wife, state Rep. Laurie Sanborn, exchanged with financial consultants raised questions about their handling of a nearly $844,000 federal pandemic loan.
The Sanborns are under state and federal investigation for allegedly obtaining the loan under false pretenses and using the money to enrich themselves with expensive race cars and rent payments to themselves. That investigation and questions about Sanborn’s business practices led the state Lottery Commision to revoke his gaming license indefinitely. A ruling on Sanborn’s challenge to the decision is expected in the coming days.
Sanborn argues the state’s investigation was “sloppy” and has blamed others for giving him bad advice on the loan application.
Casinos were not eligible for pandemic loans. Nor were elected officials, which Lauire Sanborn was when the Sanborns submitted the application in 2021. Financial consultants hired by the Sanborns to help obtain the loan raised concerns about those issues, according to documents obtained by the New Hampshire Bulletin through a right-to-know request.
Michael Evans, of SpringWest Capital Corp. in New York, hired by the Sanborns to submit the loan, told Laurie Sanborn in a December 2021 email not to use any email addresses that would reveal her political office.
“No active political office therefore it is better to use an email that does not imply an office. Senator, mayor, etc.,” Evans' email read.
In a November affidavit taken in connection with the revocation of Sanborn’s gaming license, Evans said he initially concluded that Sanborn’s business Win Win Win, which operates as Concord Casino, was likely ineligible for the loan because it appeared to be a casino. Evans shared his thoughts with Sanborn.
According to the affidavit, Sanborn told Evans that casinos are illegal in New Hampshire and that the state allows only charitable gaming, in which Sanborn shares some of the gaming proceeds with charities and the state. Between January and October, Sanborn had collected nearly $245,000 in gaming revenue and paid charities nearly $75,000, according to the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. He charges charities rent to use his space.
Evans researched Sanborn’s eligibility further, according to the affidavit, and concluded that Win Win Win was a “charity-consulting company,” which he believed was eligible for the loan.
There was also concern about some of Sanborn’s use of the money.
In July, David Plante, a Manchester certified public accountant, questioned Sanborn’s plan to justify $86,543 that he spent in pandemic money on a car as an advertising expense for his Concord restaurant, the Draft Sports Bar and Grill.
In a July 15 email, Plante wrote: “$86,543 for the purchase and operations of a race car is not an ordinary & necessary expense of a restaurant. We can take a small amount for advertising if the race car was decorated with the Draft logo etc.”
Sanborn replied on July 26. “Guess we need to better understand this as we have always used our race cars (yes with logos on them and all the such) as advertising,” he wrote. “I have friends who spend hundreds of thousands annually (like 750k/yr) doing like events and they too have always allocated it.”
Sanborn went on to write, “Is it non conventional? sure, but it’s our life and how we spend our money (as long as it’s legal) is up to us, isn’t it?”
Plante responded the next morning: “I am not willing to put my professional license at risk for this deduction. I would advise the same for you.”
He advised Sanborn that he could justify a smaller portion of the money for advertising.
In an August email to Sanborn, Plante said his firm could support claiming $15,000 in advertising expenses.
Sanborn, his attorney, and Plante could not be immediately reached for comment. Evans has not returned multiple messages.
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