Daniel Burrell, a former aide to John Kerry, was apprehended on Nantucket Island on Friday morning under allegations of issuing a fraudulent check to a Las Vegas casino amounting to $1.5 million.
This incident occurred a day after his island property was auctioned off due to foreclosure.
According to Fox News, Burrell was sought by law enforcement in Colorado and Nevada following his issuance of a bounced check at a Las Vegas gambling establishment. The foreclosure auction of his island residence fetched a sum of $12.52 million, a day prior to his arrest.
Burrell, who once served under the Clinton administration as part of its Domestic Policy Council from 2000 to 2001, has a history of legal issues. He had outstanding warrants for his arrest in Pitkin County, Colorado, for allegedly defaulting on over $75 million in bank loans. These funds were reportedly used to settle divorce payments, acquire a yacht, and purchase high-end properties.
The former Kerry staffer's association with the ex-Senator and Secretary of State includes his role as a campaign finance assistant during Kerry's 2004 presidential bid. Burrell has previously referred to Kerry as "an incredible mentor."
A source close to Kerry, speaking to Fox News Digital, stated, "Dan was a young college graduate hired as a campaign finance assistant and ultimately finished the 2004 campaign as a regional finance staffer in California, before heading to law school and starting his own professional ventures."
Burrell's financial troubles escalated last November when he was sued by First Western Bank for allegedly defaulting on $56 million in business and construction loans. In April 2024, Alpine Bank initiated legal proceedings, claiming he owed $18 million on an $18.5 million loan. Burrell's Aspen, Colorado, estate, which he used as collateral against the loan, was sold at an online foreclosure auction, allowing the bank to acquire the property for $24.6 million.
In response to the recent developments, a spokesperson for Kerry expressed hope for Burrell and his family to find "peace and healing."
Burrell is the founder of the Burrell Group, an investment management firm specializing in commercial offices, multi-family residences, medical facilities, and student housing.
Andrew Fritz, Burrell's attorney, confirmed that his client's casino debt case has been assigned to Las Vegas Justice Court and is scheduled for a hearing early next week. Unable to immediately post the $10,000 bail set by the Nantucket judge, Burrell spent the night at the Nantucket Police Department. Fritz stated, "My understanding is he was picked up today on an arrest warrant out of Nevada where he is owing money, presumably on these casino markers, to a casino in Las Vegas, Nevada."
Before his recent arrest, Burrell was reportedly involved in other legal disputes on Nantucket over the summer, including a petty theft charge and a disagreement with a local business property manager.
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