Casino Enterprise Management

Law Enforcement Veteran to Lead Regulatory Investigations and Compliance Efforts

Today Chairman Steve Crosby on behalf of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) is pleased to announce veteran prosecutor and current Undersecretary of Law Enforcement, Karen Milne Wells, as the new Director of the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau (IEB). Ms. Wells brings nearly two decades of law enforcement experience which includes investigating and prosecuting high-level criminal cases involving narcotics, corruption, organized crime and fraudulent schemes. Ms. Wells' law enforcement and investigatory experience, combined with her experience overseeing a regulatory agency and her established long-term relationships with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies makes her uniquely qualified for the position of the Director of the IEB.

As the Director of the IEB, Ms. Wells will focus on protecting the public interest and ensuring the integrity of legal gaming in Massachusetts by leading the regulatory and criminal enforcement of the Expanded Gaming Act. She will be the operational and administrative head of the Bureau responsible for executing, administering and enforcing the provisions of the law relative to investigations and enforcement. On behalf of the gaming commission, she will also be responsible for facilitating law enforcement activity involving the Massachusetts State Police, the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and other local, state and federal law enforcement partners.

Chairman Crosby stated, “With her extensive prosecutorial experience and a proven track-record of law enforcement expertise, Ms. Wells will provide the talent and ability necessary to lead a team of investigators and law enforcement partners to carry out our most crucial mission of ensuring the integrity of the state’s new gaming industry. The Director of IEB must have the credibility and leadership skills necessary to establish the key relationships and coordinated law enforcement strategy required to safeguard the integrity of this process. As a result, I am confident that Ms. Wells is distinctively skilled to serve in this role.”

Prior to joining MGC, Ms. Wells most recently served as the Undersecretary for Law Enforcement at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety. As Undersecretary, Ms. Wells directed the functions and administration of the Massachusetts State Police, the Department of Public Safety and the Municipal Police Training Committee. The Department of Public Safety is a regulatory, licensing and inspection agency, charged with the oversight of numerous activities, businesses and professions.  The Department has building, elevator and engineering divisions and provides administrative and legal assistance to ten different boards and commissions. Ms. Wells also coordinated with federal, state and local public safety officials to enhance cooperation on all policy and operational matters. During her tenure as Undersecretary, she also served as secretariat lead for gaming-related issues.  In 2008, Ms. Wells functioned as the commonwealth’s Senior Counsel for Law Enforcement and Fire Services and was responsible for managing policy development and implementation of programs relative to crime prevention, emergency management and public safety.

In 2007, Ms. Wells served as Deputy Chief of the Public Protection, Anti-Terrorism, Corruption and Technology Unit at the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office where she prosecuted high-level narcotics and white-collar crimes.  Previously, she served as Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Bureau of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office assigned to the Special Investigations and Narcotics Division.

In 1994, Ms. Wells began her career as an Assistant District Attorney at the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office.

Wells graduated with a law degree from Boston University School of Law in 1994. In 1991, she graduated from Colgate University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English. Wells is also the recipient of several commendations and distinguished service awards including the Massachusetts State Police Superintendent’s Commendation for her contribution to a wiretap investigation of a major state narcotics investigation.


About MGC
The Investigations and Enforcement Bureau of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is responsible for all background investigations and enforcement of non-criminal statutes and regulations that apply to companies and individuals licensed by the Commission. The Investigations and Enforcement Bureau is also responsible for notifying the Gaming Enforcement Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office of any potential criminal violations.

The mission of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is to create a fair, transparent, and participatory process for implementing the expanded gaming law passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor in November, 2011. In creating that process, the Commission will strive to ensure that its decision-making and regulatory systems engender the confidence of the public and participants, and that they provide the greatest possible economic development benefits and revenues to the people of the Commonwealth, reduce to the maximum extent possible the potentially negative or unintended consequences of the new legislation, and allow an appropriate return on investment for gaming providers that assures the operation of casino-resorts of the highest quality. For more information on MGC, please visit www.mass.gov/gaming or connect and share on Twitter (@MassGamingComm) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/MAGamingComm).