A woman was taken into custody in West Palm Beach on charges related to the operation of an illegal gambling business. As reported by CBS12, 41-year-old Viviana Navarro Gonzalez was the alleged cashier of an illicit gambling operation camouflaged within a shopping center's storefront.
Diligent undercover work by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) led to her arrest after agents managed to surreptitiously place bets and witness what seemed to be casino-style slot machines. WPBF noted that agents had to use the code word "La Bolita" to gain access to a covert gambling space. Their operation confirmed that illegal gambling activities, centered around a lottery-style game known as "Bolita," were indeed taking place inside a business known as “Siempre Bellas.”
Documents detail that Navarro Gonzalez was charged with a range of gambling-related counts, including establishing a gaming place and multiple counts of printing and selling lottery tickets. The investigation by PBSO, sparked by tips from the Florida Department of the Lottery and the Florida Gaming Control Commission, eventually revealed the business’s illegal activities. The county had not issued tax receipts for a business by that name nor at the address provided, according to the probable cause affidavit obtained by CBS12.
The undercover PBSO investigators bought tickets on three different occasions, betting small amounts of money. Their findings led them to conclude that "Siempre Bellas" was operating without the usual trappings of a legit gaming establishment, as they did not observe "any toys, prizes, or other tangible items to be offered as winnings," as mentioned in the affidavit. Navarro Gonzalez, following this revelation, found herself being booked on various gambling-related charges.
Upon her booking, Navarro Gonzalez claimed through an interpreter, she was unaware of the details concerning her employment, including the identity of her employer. She professed not to know who handled the gaming machines or who paid her, according to the information from CBS12.
