Fraud charges cloud future of Mass. casino plan

MIDDLEBOROUGH, Mass.—The fate of a proposed casino in Middleborough is up in the air as town officials and members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council grapple with former chairman Glenn Marshall’s admissions of fraud.

Middleborough selectmen have voted to meet with the tribe on the casino contract, but will to wait until after the tribe’s Feb. 8 election.

The Cape Cod Times reports one of the candidates for chairman of the tribal council has called for an emergency meeting of the governing board to discuss the situation.

Earlier this month, Marshall agreed to plead guilty to violating campaign finance laws while working with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The tribe is planning to build a $1 billion casino in Middleborough.