It’s not the proudest moment in Atlantic City history, but it’s an important one nonetheless. This month in Casino Connection, I take a look at ABSCAM:
There aren’t any commemorative parties, but this year marks the 30th anniversary of a major Atlantic City news story-the Abscam investigation.
The investigation—in which FBI agents posed as the henchman of a fictitious Arab sheik, Kambir Abdul Rahman, to uncover a corrupt congressman—took its name from Abdul Enterprises, the sheik’s alleged company. Though Atlantic City wasn’t a primary target of the sting, repercussions here led to big changes in the way New Jersey regulates casinos.
News of the investigation broke like a thunderbolt on February 2, 1980. The FBI announced it had snared numerous public officials, including New Jersey Senator Harrison Williams and seven members of Congress, in a two-year undercover investigation. The probe also included a member of the Casino Control Commission.
via The Sting | The Sting | Casino Connection Atlantic City.
Interesting story that forced some changes in the regulatory structure.