A woman at the center of a $24 million illegal gambling investigation is suing to reclaim cash and personal items seized during a traffic stop last month.
Rima Ray, 44, filed a lawsuit on September 29 in St. Johns County Circuit Court, seeking the return of $340,872 in cash, a 1-kilogram gold-colored bar, a USB flash drive, and a notebook containing financial records, records show.
Ray was pulled over in her Maserati by St. Johns County Sheriff’s deputies on July 2 near her St. Augustine home—a modest single-story residence on Menendez Road, which she purchased for $330,000 in 2019.
During the stop, deputies reported that Ray appeared nervous and gave conflicting stories about the origin of the cash, first saying it was from a casino sale in Belize, then a liquidation business in Florida.
According to court filings, Ray consented to a vehicle search, leading deputies to discover the cash-filled backpack, the gold bar, and additional financial materials. She was released pending further investigation.
Ray was arrested on July 21 and charged with racketeering, money laundering, and illegal gambling.
Prosecutors allege she operated an unlicensed casino disguised as the IL Villagio Senior Entertainment Center in Lady Lake, targeting senior citizens with slot machines and reaping $70,000 a day in unreported income.
In the lawsuit, Ray’s attorney Kelly Mathis argues that authorities have failed to comply with the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act, which sets deadlines for seizure notifications and court filings.
Ray claims no such action was taken, making the continued detention of her property unlawful.
She is demanding the immediate return of the items, plus legal fees and court costs.
Her criminal case is ongoing.
