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BARKLEY PAYS OFF $440,000 DEBT TO VEGAS CASINO: But only after hotel sued and D.A. opened a criminal investigation.
*Charles Barkley of TNT's "Inside the NBA" told viewers Monday evening that he has paid back the $400,000 he owed the Wynn Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas after a criminal investigation was launched against him.
The Las Vegas Sun reported last week that Barkley, an avid gambler, was being investigated by the District Attorney's office after it was contacted by Wynn regarding the debt. Wynn filed a lawsuit against Barkley, claiming the money had been lent to the former NBA star in four $100,000 markers on Oct. 18 and Oct. 19.
Barkley told "Inside the NBA" host Ernie Johnson that he had “screwed up” by not paying back the $400,000 earlier.
“It was 100 percent my fault,” he said, adding that the incident has caused him to want to stop gambling.
“I’m not going to gamble anymore,” he said.
But by the end of his discussion with Johnson, he’d backpedaled, saying he wouldn’t gamble for “the next year or two.”
Barkley told Johnson he had paid back the $400,000 in full. But that was news to Chief Deputy District Attorney Bernie Zadrowski, who oversees the bad check unit, which is handling the case. Zadrowski said Wynn officials had informed him that, as of 5:30 p.m. Monday, about 15 minutes after Barkley’s remarks, the casino had not received any money from Barkley. And for prosecutors to drop the criminal case, Barkley must not only repay the Wynn, he must also pay a 10 percent fee — $40,000 — to the bad check unit.
A Wynn rep confirmed to TMZ.com yesterday that Barkley's check for $440,000 was sent to the Las Vegas D.A.'s office for processing.
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