Former Pace-O-Matic Executive Admits Guilty to Money Laundering in Pennsylvania Gaming Scandal
A former executive of Pace-O-Matic has confessed to laundering money linked to illegal activities within Pennsylvania’s gaming machine industry, according to state authorities.
Attorney General Dave Sunday revealed that Ricky Goodling entered a guilty plea on February 3 in Cumberland County Court. Goodling, 59, from Mechanicsburg, PA, faces a first-degree felony charge for dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities. His sentencing is set for April 28.
Bribery Concealed Through a Shell Company
Goodling’s criminal actions stem from his tenure as Pace-O-Matic’s director of national compliance, a position meant to ensure the company’s gaming machines operated legally.
Contrary to his duties, investigators discovered that Goodling accepted large sums of money from distributors and operators whose gaming machines violated state regulations. Instead of reporting these breaches, he allegedly took the payments and allowed the violations to continue unchecked.
To hide these illicit payments, Goodling established a sham business named Rest and Relaxation, LLC, which served no genuine business purpose but was used to disguise bribes as lawful income.
At the time, Goodling was also a retired Pennsylvania State Police corporal, which intensified the gravity of his offenses from the investigators’ viewpoint. His behavior complicated the already tangled regulatory climate surrounding the controversial skill-based gaming machines in Pennsylvania.
Skill games, which differ from traditional slot machines by incorporating elements of player skill to influence payouts, remain contentious. These games allow users to enhance their winning chances by completing skill-based challenges, a concept strongly opposed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the Pennsylvania Lottery, and the broader gambling community.
Actions Driven by Personal Gain
Attorney General Sunday stated, “The defendant accepted responsibility for serious misconduct driven by personal greed. His actions undermined the regulation and order within the Commonwealth’s gaming environment.”
The investigation, a joint effort by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Office of Attorney General, and the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, meticulously tracked the illicit payments through Goodling’s fictitious company.
Alongside the state case, Goodling also pled guilty in federal court to tax offenses related to the same wrongdoing. His federal sentencing date is pending.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Erik Olsen and Chief Deputy Attorney General Adrian Shchuka are leading the prosecution. Authorities have not yet indicated whether further charges against others involved with the distribution or management of the gaming machines are forthcoming.
