Former John Kerry Advisor Arrested After $150M Casino Check Bounced

A politically connected investor was detained in Nantucket, Mass. on Friday in connection with a $1.5 million bad check he allegedly handed to a Las Vegas casino.

The arrest of Daniel Burrell, a former senior advisor to former US Secretary of State and former US Senator John Kerry (D), came just one day after Burrell’s mansion was sold at a foreclosure auction, the Nantucket Current reports.

It’s the latest in a litany of legal troubles for Yale-educated Burrell, who served in the Clinton administration as a member of its Domestic Policy Council from 2000 to 2001.

Pursued by Banks

Last November, Burrell was sued by First Western Bank for allegedly defaulting on $56 million in loans. Then, in April 2024, the Alpine Bank launched legal action, alleging he owed $18 million on an $18.5 million loan. The latter suit sought the foreclosure of another of Burrell’s mansions, this one in Aspen, Colo., which allowed the bank to acquire the property for $24.6 million.

Much of the money borrowed from the banks went to divorce payments, buying a yacht, and to purchasing the luxury homes, according to the Current.

In May, Burrell failed to attend a court hearing relating to another lawsuit, brought by Equilibrium Multi Strategy Fund. The complaint claimed Burrell owed the fund $8.8 million via two separate companies he controls. Because of the no-show, a warrant was issued for his arrest but was canceled later in the summer for reasons that remain unclear.

In July, Burrell again failed to appear in court to answer a shoplifting charge, and another warrant was issued for his arrest. That case was dismissed earlier this month, although again it’s unclear why because the court documents are under seal.

Links to Hunter Biden

Burrell founded the Burrell Group, an investment management company focusing on the technology, education, natural resources, real estate, insurance, and the health care sectors. He’s the former CEO of Rosemont Realty, a New Mexico-based commercial real estate firm that oversaw 173 office buildings in 25 states. The firm had connections to Hunter Biden, who sat on the advisory board.

The case of Burrell’s debt to the unnamed casino has been assigned to Las Vegas Justice Court and will be heard either Monday or Tuesday, according to his lawyer. Burrell was unable to immediately provide the $10K bail set by the judge in Nantucket and was held overnight at the Nantucket Police Department, according to the Current.