Arrests the latest in Sheriff’s Office efforts to halt such activity in the county
Two people have been arrested and charged in connection with the operation of an alleged illegal gambling establishment, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has reported — the latest initiative of Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman and his staff to eradicate such activity in the county.
In this new case, Mohamed Belyaqout, 52, of 6820 Georgia Ave. in Bradenton was taken into custody on March 26 at “Spin 24/7,” located at 5709 S. Beneva Road in Sarasota, a Sheriff’s Office news release said.
Mabielka C. Cumbrera, 45, of 5105 Circled Oak Drive in Sarasota, was taken into custody on March 27 at her residence, the release added. Both were booked into the county jail, the release noted.
The building that housed Spin 24/7 is owned by Siesta businessman Dr. Gary Kompothecras, as reported in a court document that The Sarasota News Leaderreviewed this week. Kompothecras has not been charged in connection with the gambling establishment.
The Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) Intelligence Unit, Tactical Unit, Special Investigations Section and Patrol Bureau — in cooperation with the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) — handled the arrests, the news release pointed out. Both Belyaqout and Cumbrera have been charged formally with Keeping and Maintaining a Gambling House and Possession of Slot Machines, the release said.
The total bond for each was set at $150, jail records show. Both Belyaquot and Cumbrera were released on bond on March 27, their records note.
Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court records show that Belyaqout and Cumbrera have entered pleas of “Not Guilty” and demanded jury trials, the News Leader learned. Cumbrera’s attorney is Brian J. Lail of the Lail Law Firm in Sarasota, while Belyaquot is being represented by Gregory S. Hagopian of the Gallagher & Hagopian firm on North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota.
“The arrests followed a months-long investigation into several illegal gambling operations in Sarasota County,” the release added. “During the execution of the search warrant at Spin 24/7, a total of 66 slot machines, along with U.S. currency, were seized from the business,” the release continued. The Sheriff’s Office “had issued a cease-and-desist letter to the business,” the release noted.
“We will continue our partnership with FGCC, holding these illegal gambling establishments accountable and shutting them down,” said Sheriff Hoffman in the release.
The Probable Cause Affidavit for Belyaqout points out, “In early 2025, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Intelligence Unit (Intel) began a long-term investigation into illegal gambling casinos throughout Sarasota County. Multiple locations were identified as illegal casinos with slot machine gaming occurring inside the premises.
“The investigation [into this latest case] remains ongoing,” the release added.
A series of business name changes
The Probable Cause Affidavit for Belyaquot says that Intel Unit “detectives learned of an illegal gambling casino called ‘The Lucky Spot’ and/or ‘The Spot’ in 2021.” The site had been the focus of complaints that the Sheriff’s Office had received, the affidavit adds.
Later, the affidavit notes, the business name was changed to “Spin 24/7,” though the roadway signage remained the same.
“The front glass windows feature slogans such as ‘Fun & Games’ and ‘Win, Win, Win,’ ” the affidavit says.
As the Intel Unit proceeded with its investigation, the affidavit notes, unit members served the owners and agents “a notice of violation” of Florida Statute 849.03, which is the law involving the charge of Renting a House for Gambling Purposes.
On March 19, 2025 detectives served Spin 24/7 with a cease-and-desist letter signed by Sheriff Hoffman, the affidavit continues. “During their visit,” it points out, “Intel Detectives observed multiple rows of illegal slot machine games consistent with other illegal gambling investigations.”
Not quite a year later — on Feb. 15 — “patrol deputies responded to a report of a burglary at Spin 24/7. The complainant and owner of the location” — Kompothecras, as stated in the affidavit — told the deputies “nothing was stolen.” However, Kompothecras “provided security camera video footage of the burglary to the deputies,” the affidavit says. That footage “revealed the suspects and their entry into the building during the reported incident,” the affidavit notes. Kompothecras provided no further footage during this investigation,” it adds.
(A News Leader review of the records maintained by Sarasota County Property Appraiser Bill Furst and his staff found that the property standing at 5709 S. Beneva Road is owned by a limited liability company called Paida LLC. The News Leader also located a Facebook page for The SPOT Social Club listed at the same South Beneva Road address. The most recent post on that page was dated July 12, 2021.)
“Upon further review of the footage,” the Probable Cause Affidavit continues, “additional security cameras were observed on the Digital Video Recording monitor/screen, indicating that several additional cameras were being used to monitor other interior areas of the business; however, the footage from those areas was not provided to law enforcement.”
On Feb. 23, the affidavit points out, the Intel Unit “began surreptitious surveillance of Spin 24/7. During this time, it became clear the casino operated between the hours of [6 p.m. and 6 a.m.] every day. Surveillance at the location revealed Spin 24/7 was employing a security officer at the site on a daily basis covering a 24 hour period,” the affidavit continues. “The security officer would be posted in their personal vehicle in front of the location during non-business hours. After the casino would open,” the affidavit says, “the uniformed security officer would [take a] post inside the premises for the remainder of the night,” until 6 a.m.
During the investigation, the affidavit adds, the Intel Unit members learned from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office that Belyaquot “had been mentioned and identified as a person who was connected to a recent business burglary that occurred … at 5709 S. Beneva Road” in Sarasota. A person involved with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office investigation reported that “Belyaqout had connections and ties to an illegal gambling casino called ‘Spin 24/7’ and that he helped coordinate the burglary, implying that he was the business owner,” the affidavit points out.
About 10:10 a.m. on March 26, the affidavit continues, Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office’s Intel Unit officers “conducted surveillance and executed a search warrant at ‘Spin 24/7’ …” Ultimately, the affidavit says, “Belyaqout was identified as an employee unlocking the front door to the illegal gambling establishment by using keys pulled out of his front left pocket.” He “entered the establishment and stayed inside the business until our Detectives arrived on scene and announced their presence with the search warrant,” the affidavit adds.
Later on March 26, the affidavit says, a detective asked Belyaqout whether he would be willing to speak with the detective in regard to the investigation. He said he “did not wish to be interviewed,” it notes.
A News Leader check of 12th Judicial Circuit Court records on April 7 found only one other case involving Belyaqout. It pertained to a careless driving citation he received in November 2006. No records were available for review.