Gambling Ring Exposed in Shady Oaks Retirement Home
"I thought it was just going to be friendly competition but instead when I explained later to Millicent that I really didn't have the money to give her she became very agitated and told me that I was to pay up or I'd be sorry." Mrs. Goldey stated in an interview.
The ladies involved in the gambling ring were taking bets on when other members of the Retirement home would "meet the reaper" as they put it. "They have this big calender and when someone gets sick or has a birthday coming up they all start taking bets on what day they will die." Ethel Coleman said
The leader of the operation was one Esther Brown from Norfolk, VA. She has been living at Shady Oaks for 5 years. Her two right hand ladies and strong arms are Hazel McMillian and Millicent Jones. They headed a group of 7 other women who took bets and followed up on payments. "Everything was so organized," Michael Smith a security guard at Shady Oaks stated, "It was like they were a real crime family."
The Godmothers as they named themselves have been doing their business under the nose of Management and Shady Oaks for almost 2 years now. It all started when Esther attended Casino night and caught the gambling bug. She recruited Millicent and Hazel and soon they had a flourshing betting house going.
"I'm just so disappointed in them," Bernie Brown, Esthers husband said, "I mean I always wondered where she got all that money from and I never did quite buy that she was doing chores for some of the other women but to I just can't believe she was running an illegal gambling ring."
Esther Brown, Hazel McMillian, and Millicent Jones have all been put on Pots and Pans and will not be able to participate in Arts and Crafts for one month as punishment. The rest of the ladies involved will serve dinner to the rest of the village for one week. "I hope this teaches them a lesson," Cliff Nowlin the Director of Shady Oaks said, "We don't tolerate this kind of thing here at Shady Oaks."