[This story has been updated.]
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on Wednesday fined Bobby Soper, former CEO of Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, $60,000 for failing to properly disclose ties he had with companies doing business with Mohegan Sun Pocono.
Soper headed Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment (formerly called the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority) and oversaw both Mohegan Sun in Uncasville and Mohegan Sun Pocono in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. He resigned in mid-February.
The fine by the PGCB’s Office of Enforcement Counsel, which is part of an Oct. 17 consent agreement with Soper, was approved at a public meeting Wednesday.
Soper was CEO of Mohegan Sun Pocono from Dec. 2005 to Oct. 2012; CEO of Mohegan Sun from Oct. 2012 to April 2015; and CEO of MTGA from April 2015 through Jan. 2017.
According to the PGCB, Soper failed to note on employee and principal license renewal forms that he held ownership interests in 10 companies including two, Drinkholder and ReferLocal, that did business directly with Mohegan Sun Pocono.
The board called Soper’s failings “particularly serious” because they raise the potential for the appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest, according to the consent agreement.
Mario Kontomerkos replaced Soper in mid-October.
The PGCB oversees all aspects of Pennsylvania’s casino industry.
A spokesman for Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment said the organization does not comment on personnel matters. Soper has agreed to pay $2,500 for costs incurred by the OEC in processing the case.
In a statement, Soper said: “Very simply, I failed to fill out a form on my PA license renewal applications that required me to list my business interests. This was purely a negligent and unintentional administrative mistake as I have always been transparent in all my business interests. In fact, as acknowledged by the PGCB, my business interests were in fact disclosed in applications as part of my tax returns.
“Notwithstanding, I voluntarily agreed to enter this agreement and pay this fine as an acknowledgement of my mistake and to ensure there is no question that I am in good standing as I move forward with various great projects I am working on in the industry. “
