Published on: October 20, 2025, 09:26h.
Updated on: October 20, 2025, 09:26h.
- Authorities conducted a raid at La Catedral Arena.
- Track proprietor Ivan Tellez arrested for unlawful gambling.
- PODER of Idaho criticized the detention of migrants as ‘devastating.’
On Sunday, federal agents launched a significant operation at a private horse racetrack in Wilder, Idaho, uncovering illicit parimutuel betting activities alongside undocumented migrants, according to reports from local news sources.
According to KTVB, over 200 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials, including personnel from the FBI and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), executed a federal search warrant at La Catedral Arena around 1 p.m. on Sunday, resulting in the detention of track owner Ivan Tellez and several others involved in the illegal betting, plus dozens of bettors.
Although Tellez possesses a license for horse racing at La Catedral, he lacks the necessary betting license, as stated in a federal complaint reviewed by Casino.org.
Mass Detentions
The raid coincided with a racing event, leading to the detention of at least 50 individuals, many of whom were seemingly unrelated to the gambling activities. Witnesses reported that numerous attendees were escorted away with zip-tied hands, as recounted in KTVB.
PODER of Idaho, an organization dedicated to empowering Latinx and immigrant populations, shared with The Idaho Statesman that protests emerged during the detentions.
This is utterly absurd that we arrest people and confine them into buses, separating them from their families,” remarked Estefanía Mondragón, executive director of PODER. “It’s heartbreaking and a breach of trust to our community.”
Those who were able to provide sufficient documentation were subsequently released, as noted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
FBI Investigates Gambling Activities
The FBI’s report indicated that in February 2025, agents received a tip-off regarding the illegal betting operations taking place at La Catedral, identifying a suspect named Samuel Bejarano, who was also apprehended during the raid, as the bookmaker involved.
The informant detailed a “committee” comprising horse owners, including Tellez, actively engaged in the betting scheme.
Investigators found that Bejarano had frequently posted information about betting and racing at La Catedral and had accepted wagers through platforms like Venmo and Zelle, with many transactions occurring shortly after the races concluded, according to the complaint.
Further investigations revealed that Tellez had deposited around $100K into accounts associated with La Catedral Arena at Zions Bank over the past two years and was unable to provide satisfactory explanations to bank officials regarding the origins of the funds, as per the complaint.