In New Delhi, the Election Commission released a list of entities purchasing electoral bonds for political contributions, notably featuring Santiago Martin, widely recognized as the ‘Lottery King’, days after the State Bank of India disclosed the details post a rebuke from the Supreme Court.
The revelation that Martin’s firm, Future Gaming and Hotel Services Private Limited, made the highest donations to political parties stirred significant attention and shed light on his firm’s operations.
This isn’t the first instance of Martin being linked to controversies. In 2021, former Congress chief of Tamil Nadu, Alagiri, accused Martin of contributing 83% of donations to the BJP ahead of the Assembly elections, with the total donations to political parties amounting to Rs 245.7 crores.
Allegations gained traction with a report by the election watchdog, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), revealing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received nearly 90% of all corporate donations worth ₹680.49 crore gathered by five national parties between 2022-23. Future Gaming and Hotel Services Private Limited drew scrutiny for donating ₹1368 crore between 2019 and 2024.
The Enforcement Directorate has been investigating the company for alleged violations of the PMLA law since 2019, conducting raids in Coimbatore and Chennai in May 2023.
Santiago Martin’s name first surfaced on April 30, 2019, when Income Tax Department raids targeted his properties in 70 locations across the country, including 22 in his hometown Coimbatore.
The four-day operation resulted in the seizure of Rs 5.8 crore in cash and Rs 24 crore worth of gold and diamonds. Prior instances had already drawn authorities’ attention to his rapidly expanding business, which originated in Tamil Nadu before branching out to multiple states. Martin, along with his wife, maintained close ties with political figures in Tamil Nadu.
Adding to the intrigue, another investigation involving Martin focused on the murder of one of his long-term employees, who was found dead shortly after being interrogated by tax officials.
Martin’s website claims he began his career as a laborer in Myanmar’s Yangon, returning to India to establish a lottery business in Tamil Nadu in 1988. His success propelled him to expand operations to Karnataka, Kerala, and later, the northeast, where he managed government lottery schemes. The business extended offshore to Bhutan and Nepal.
Diversifying into construction, real estate, textiles, and hospitality, Martin assumed the presidency of the All India Federation of Lottery Trade and Allied Industries, aimed at enhancing the credibility of the lottery trade in India. Under his leadership, his enterprise, Future Gaming Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., joined the esteemed World Lottery Association and ventured into online gaming, casinos, and sports betting.
The Enforcement Directorate’s probe stems from a Central Bureau of Investigation charge sheet, alleging the sale of Sikkim government lotteries in Kerala by Martin’s company.
According to the agency, Martin and his companies caused a ₹910 crore loss to Sikkim “by inflating the prize-winning tickets’ claims from April 2009 to August 2010.”
The rise and fall of the ‘Lottery King’ drew widespread attention, as a humble lottery ticket seller from Yangon transformed into a billionaire entrepreneur, expanding his fortune across various sectors and territories.
However, Martin’s ventures faced scrutiny from law enforcement agencies over the years. Allegations of running illegal lottery rackets in Karnataka and Kerala surfaced in 2007, followed by more than 30 cases registered by the CBI in 2011 for defrauding the Sikkim government.
The ‘lottery scandal’ sparked controversy, leading to a ban on online sales of Sikkim lotteries in Kerala. Investigations revealed a money laundering angle, with buyers using the lottery scheme to convert black money into white. Despite legal battles, Martin remains on bail, awaiting the resolution of his case.
Known for his associations with influential politicians, Martin’s ties transcended party lines. His engagement of Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi in legal matters highlighted his connections within the political sphere.
Yet, his affiliations stirred controversy, with Congress facing backlash from Kerala’s Left Democratic Front government over support extended to a controversial figure. Notably, Martin’s donations to the CPI(M) mouthpiece and associations with DMK leaders fueled political tensions.
Martin’s narrative took a darker turn with legal confrontations and allegations of fraud and land grabbing, resulting in arrests and jail time.
Despite legal troubles, Martin sought an image overhaul, contributing to disaster relief efforts and asserting his position as one of the highest tax-paying individuals in the country.
The mysterious death of a longtime employee following tax scrutiny added another layer of suspicion to Martin’s complex story, prompting further investigation and legal battles.