According to an article in the Associated Press, former Indiana state representative, Sean Eberhart, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison on Wednesday after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit fraud. Eberhart, who served in the House of Representatives for 16 years, was accused of using his position to push for legislation benefiting a casino company in exchange for a high-paying job.

According to court documents, Eberhart advocated for a bill that would allow Spectacle Entertainment, a casino company cofounded by Greg Gibson and Rod Ratcliff, to relocate two Lake Michigan casinos to Gary and Vigo County. Prosecutors allege that Eberhart used his influence on the House Committee on Public Policy, which oversees gambling matters, to secure favorable terms for Spectacle, including tax breaks, in exchange for a future job offer worth at least $350,000 annually.

Eberhart, a Republican who left office in November 2022, plead guilty in November 2023 and agreed to pay $60,000 in restitution. He faced a maximum sentence of five years but received leniency as part of a plea deal. His attorney declined to comment on the sentencing.

Spectacle Entertainment has been embroiled in controversy in recent years. In 2022, the company was forced to relinquish ownership of casino projects in Gary and Terre Haute after its executives, John Keeler and former state Sen. Brent Waltz (R-Greenwood), were indicted on federal charges. 

Keeler, a former lawmaker himself, was sentenced to two months in prison for illegally funneling money to Waltz’s 2016 congressional campaign. Waltz received a 10-month sentence for aiding the scheme and lying to the FBI.

This case highlights the ongoing issue of corruption in Indiana’s gambling industry and raises concerns about the influence of special interests on state legislation.