Caribi Bleu Casino Boss Taken Down; New Bodycam Footage Released

Earlier this year, News Five grabbed regional attention when we earned a Caribbean Broadcasting Union Award for our in-depth investigation into Caribi Bleu Casino in San Pedro. And while we didn’t take home the Belize Prize for Investigative Journalism, that’s not the real headline here. What truly matters is what our team uncovered, something far bigger than what local authorities could manage at the time. But in the U.S., the story took a dramatic turn. That’s where Caribi Bleu’s elusive boss, Rima Ray, was finally brought down. And tonight, we’re peeling back another layer. Newly released police bodycam footage reveals a side of the story that’s never been seen before. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the report.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

It was a quiet summer day in July, when police arrested Rima Ray, the controversial figure behind Caribi Bleu Casino in Belize. Ray, a transgender man, was later charged for fraud and illegal gambling. But the story doesn’t start there. Tonight, we take you back to July second, when officers pulled Ray over for a routine traffic stop. What they found in his sleek Tesla was anything but routine, three hundred and forty thousand U.S. dollars in cash, tucked away in the vehicle. Now, newly released police bodycam footage gives us a first-person view of that moment. What began as a simple infraction quickly escalated into something much bigger.

 

Voice of: Police Officer

“Do you have any large sums of currency in your car?”

 

Rima Ray, Former Casino Operator

“I have some money.”

 

Voice of: Police Officer

“It is not illegal to have money. So you don’t have any type of cocaine?”

 

Rima Ray

“I don’t do drugs.”

 

Voice of: Police Officer

“Is it ok to check? That is probably, two hundred K maybe easily.”

 

Just twenty days after that traffic stop, Rima Ray was booked in Sumter County on a fifty-thousand-dollar bond. But long before U.S. authorities caught up with him, News Five was already digging into Ray’s casino operations in San Pedro. Our investigation kicked off exactly one year ago, on November sixth, 2024, when we looked into the flood of golf carts on the island. Reports suggested Ray had been granted dozens of permits, though Mayor Wally Nunez denied it. Then came the bombshell. On November thirteenth, we revealed that Caribi Bleu Casino was stashing golf carts in a warehouse and running an unauthorized ATM that dispensed U.S. cash. Just two weeks later, Central Bank Governor Kareem Michael confirmed they had launched a probe into the ATM.

 

Kareem Michael, Governor, Central Bank of Belize (File: Nov 27^th, 2025)

“I personally received direct messages from citizens in San Pedro that this was taking place.”

 

And then on December eight Prime Minister John Briceno confirmed that he is aware of the ongoing investigation and encouraged the probe.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We need to find out from Customs if that was even registered and if they paid to have that ATM in Belize.”

 

Just ten days later, the Financial Intelligence Unit confirmed it was running its own investigation into Rima Ray. The FIU, Belize’s watchdog for financial crimes and casino oversight, joined a growing list of authorities looking into Ray’s operations. But despite all the attention, none of these agencies fully grasped the scale, or the international reach, of what Ray was running. And then came the curveball. On March fifth, News Five confirmed with the Central Bank that Ray’s only penalty was to remove the ATM and attend a training session. No fines. No charges. No jail time. But justice has a long memory, and a longer reach.

 

Voice of: Police Officer

“How long ago did you sell your casino or hotel?”

 

Rima Ray

“We have been talking about it for a while.”

 

Voice of: Police Officer

“When did it sell?”

 

Rima Ray

“Literally like today.”

 

Voice of: Police Officer

“So you have a wire for it?”

 

Rima Ray

“They have not wired it. They are suppose to wire it on Friday.”

 

Voice of: Police Officer

“So what is the money in the bag?”

 

Rima Ray

“Part of it is mine. Ummmm.”

 

Voice of: Police Officer

“Ok, lets restart. I have been doing this long enough. You are a really good dude but I don’t appreciate when people lie to me and I can tell you are lying. I have been doing this long enough, I can see how you are playing things. Where did this money really come from?”

 

Ray asked for a lawyer, but it was too late. Police took him to the station, where they counted out the cash. Turns out, investigators had been building a case against him since February. With enough evidence in hand, they made their move on July twenty-fourth and arrested him. News Five quickly alerted Belizean authorities, hoping for an interview. Instead, they acted fast, revoking Ray’s casino license without hesitation.

 

Paul Lopez

“Would the FIU have followed up on Rima Ray’s operations in Belize if not for her arrest in the U.S.?”

 

Leni Ysaguirre McGann, Former Director, F.I.U.

“Well, we have already been following up, Mr. Lopez.”

 

Reports indicate that Ray’s illegal operation was valued at twenty-four million US dollars. Ray will be prosecuted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.