Casino Boss Rima Ray’s Money Trail Under Fire

It started with a traffic stop in Florida and ended with a Belizean casino boss behind bars. Rima Ray, tied to the Caribi Bleu Casino in San Pedro, is now at the center of an international investigation into illegal gambling and suspected money laundering. She was caught with over three hundred and forty thousand dollars in cash and claimed it came from selling part of her casino here in Belize. But U.S. authorities say that’s just the beginning. From unlicensed slot machines to suspicious wire transfers, the case against Ray is growing, and so are the questions about her operations here at home. Tonight, we take a closer look at the money trail, the unanswered questions, and what Belizean authorities had to say, or didn’t, when we asked for answers. Here’s Paul Lopez with that story.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

This isn’t your average inmate record. Rima Ray, linked to the Caribi Bleu Casino in San Pedro, has been on News Five’s radar since 2024. Now, she’s behind bars in Florida after being caught with three hundred and forty thousand dollars in cash during a traffic stop. She claimed it came from selling part of her casino in Belize. A U.S. investigation uncovered illegal gambling operations at IL Villagio, where one hundred and ninety unlicensed slot machines and large sums of money were seized. Ray is now facing charges for illegal gambling and fraud, with bail set at just over fifty thousand dollars. Back in 2024, News Five exposed a slot machine at Caribi Bleu that dispensed U.S. currency, an illegal setup we reported to authorities.

 

Leni Ysaguirre McGann, Director, F.I.U. (File: Dec 18th, 2024)

“The FIU to protect the integrity of these processes and to protect the investigation are under strict confidentiality obligations.”

 

Kareem Michael, Governor, Central Bank (File: Nov 27th, 2024)

“I am sure you will appreciate that I cant say much on that, because it is a live investigation.”

 

And even when the prime minister weighed in on the findings, he encouraged the investigation.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño (File: Dec 9th, 2024)

“If there is any finds that needs to be paid or if they need to charge anybody for having an illegal atm that dispenses U.S. dollars well, I am confident the Central Bank will charge these people or take them to court and they should, I would encourage them to do so.”

 

Despite the serious allegations, Rima Ray didn’t face any major penalties. No fine, no jail time, just a slap on the wrist. She was ordered to attend a money laundering training session and promised not to use the ATM again. But tonight, questions linger. Could Ray’s illegal gambling operation in Florida be tied to her casino dealings here in Belize? That’s something only the Financial Intelligence Unit can answer. We reached out to FIU Director Leni Ysaguirre McGann for comment, but got no response. However, here’s what she told us back in December about the FIU’s role in tackling money laundering.

 

Leni Ysaguirre McGann (File: Dec 18th, 2024)

“The FIU and Belize generally does engage in international cooperation and has a strong history of doing so. We cant speak to any specifics but it is obviously within the FIU’s mandate to investigate money laundering and financial crimes.”

 

According to a U.S. special agent’s affidavit, TD Bank shut down Rima Ray’s accounts back in March due to suspicious activity linked to money laundering. But here’s what stands out, she used that same account to wire fifty thousand dollars to a Belize-based consulting firm last August, and another forty thousand dollars this January. Now, under Belize’s Gaming Control Act, anyone holding a gaming license must be ‘fit and proper’, with no criminal convictions. Ray hasn’t been convicted yet, but the evidence against her is stacking up. Tonight, she remains behind bars in the U.S., and questions about her Belize connections are only growing louder. Reporting for News Five I am Paul Lopez.

 

FIU Director Leni Ysaguirre McGann reached out to News Five just before news time to say that the unit is looking into these new details. We will continue to follow.