A Garden Grove woman, 41, was sentenced to one year in federal prison for her involvement in illegal gambling, extortion, and drug trafficking in Santa Ana.
Honganh Thi Pham, the defendant, received a sentence of one year and one day from U.S. District Judge David O. Cater.
According to her plea agreement, Pham conspired with three other defendants from April 2019 to August 2021 to operate illegal gambling businesses.
Prosecutors stated that Pham managed illegal casinos, known as “nets” or “slaphouses,” in strip malls and homes, including four in Santa Ana.
The other co-defendants awaiting trial are:
– Niem Ngoc Ha, 47, from Fountain Valley, accused of opening and running the four casinos: EZ Boba, Sharks, Willits, and Asia.
– Sammy Cardona, 36, from Santa Ana, accused of being an enforcer.
Mindy Bui, 37, from Westminster, who managed the casinos, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on September 11, receiving credit for time already served while awaiting trial.
In the plea agreement, prosecutors alleged that Bui informed Ha on September 3, 2020, about a fight among customers at EZ Boba, requesting Ha to order Cardona to physically assault the instigator.
“Ha agreed to issue the order to Cardona. On the same day, the defendant informed Ha that Cardona was on his way to EZ Boba to physically assault the customer who had started the fight,” stated the plea agreement.
Prosecutors revealed that on November 10, 2020, Pham sent Ha an image of a spreadsheet showing a $3,041 profit made by the casino.
On May 13, 2021, Pham and another co-conspirator attempted to transport $7,322 in gambling profits from EZ Boba to another location, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors stated that on November 13, 2020, Pham sent Ha a spreadsheet showing $8,722 in profits from Willits. On the same day, they discussed a police search of the casino, and Ha instructed Pham to find a new location for Willits.
There was also evidence of Pham and Ha discussing a malfunctioning gambling machine at Asia on September 10, 2020. Additionally, on February 16, 2021, authorities found gambling devices and $12,300 in cash at Asia.
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