Santiago Martin, the name that recently topped the list of donors to political parties in India, has a story as colorful as the lottery tickets that made him a fortune.
This article explores Martin’s journey, from his humble beginnings to his rise as the “lottery king” of Tamil Nadu, and the controversies that followed.
The Rise of a Lottery Empire
In the 1980s, the sale of lottery tickets was a profitable business in Tamil Nadu. Regional players such as Deccan Agencies in Chennai, K A S Sekar in Madurai, and his brother Ramadas in Trichy dominated the market. It was during this time that Santiago Martin, a daily wager from Myanmar, settled in Coimbatore and began working in a tea shop. Observing the craze for lottery tickets, he decided to start a shop, seeing lottery tickets as the fastest route to profits.
Santiago Martin and Electoral Bonds
Santiago Martin, often referred to as the ‘Lottery King’, has emerged as the highest donor in the electoral bond scheme. He founded Future Gaming and Hotel Services, a lottery company, which donated a staggering Rs. 1,368 crore through electoral bonds.
The electoral bond scheme was introduced in 2018, allowing individuals and corporations to donate to political parties anonymously. Martin’s company, Future Gaming, topped the list of donors, contributing significantly to various political parties.
The biggest beneficiary of Martin’s donations was the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), receiving 37% of the total funding, amounting to Rs. 509 crore. This accounted for more than 77% of the total funds received by the DMK.
The electoral bond scheme has been a subject of controversy due to its anonymous nature, raising concerns about transparency in political funding. Despite this, Martin’s contributions through this scheme have undeniably played a significant role in shaping the political landscape in India.
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Early Life and Entry into the Lottery Business
Born in 1961, Martin spent his early years working as a daily wager in Myanmar before returning to India in the 1980s. Settling in Coimbatore, he started working at a tea shop. Witnessing the growing craze for lottery tickets, Martin saw an opportunity. In 1987, he opened his first lottery shop, and by 1988, he had launched his own lottery business with multiple brands.
“The lottery trade was a double bonanza for him,” says Santiago Martin’s wife Leema Rose. “Sales grew and quite often prizes from unsold tickets would also land in his pockets.” By 1987, Martin had opened five lottery shops in Coimbatore and ventured into printing tickets in 1988, launching his own lottery business with multiple brands and higher prize offerings.
Santiago Martin – The Lottery King
By the 1990s, Santiago Martin had emerged as the market leader in Tamil Nadu. However, his success was not without challenges. He faced turf wars with Sekar, another major player in the lottery business. In 2003, then chief minister J Jayalalithaa banned the lottery trade in the state, citing its negative impact on the families of the poor. Unfazed, Martin branched out into Karnataka, Kerala, the northeast, and neighbouring Bhutan.
“Martin is great at reading people’s minds,” says a family friend. “What made him ‘lottery king’ was his ability to assess people and navigate his way through the corridors of power.”
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Controversies and Legal Issues
In 2003, the lottery trade was banned in Tamil Nadu. Santiago Martin diversified his business into other states and even ventured into filmmaking, with limited success. However, his troubles were far from over. He faced accusations of land grabbing, illegal lottery sales, and financial irregularities. Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate investigations became a constant shadow.
Despite his success, Santiago Martin faced several legal issues. He made headlines for allegedly defrauding the Sikkim government from 2008 to 2010, making ‘unlawful gains of Rs 910 crore’. He has been on the income tax department and enforcement directorate’s radar since then.
In 2011, a few months after the AIADMK came to power, Martin was arrested in a land grab case and lodged at Vellore central prison. He was charged with 14 cases of land grabbing, illegal lottery sales, and cheating in various parts of the state in 2011-2012. He spent eight months in various jails until he was released on May 7, 2012.
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Building an Empire and Turf Wars
By the 1990s, Santiago Martin had become the market leader in Tamil Nadu. However, his success came with competition. He faced challenges from regional players and accusations of using his connections to navigate the corridors of power.
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Family Enters Politics and The Big Donation
While Santiago Martin himself stayed away from politics, his wife, Leema Rose, joined the IJK party. Following Martin’s arrest, his wife Leema Rose joined politics and was made state deputy general secretary of Indhiya Jananayaka Katchi (IJK). When Modi visited Tamil Nadu in 2014, Leema Rose was seen on the dais with him. Years later, Interestingly, their sons took different political paths, with one joining the BJP and the other forming his own party. While his brother Tyson Martin formed his own party, the ‘Tamilar Vidiyal Katchi’. Recently, Martin’s son-in-law joined the VCK party. It was amidst this complex political landscape that Martin’s company made the record-breaking donation of Rs 1368 crore through electoral bonds.
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A Diversified Empire
Apart from the lottery business, Santiago Martin has also ventured into real estate, education, and media, though he didn’t achieve the same level of success as in the lottery business. “Martin was the highest individual taxpayer in India in 2002-2003. He and his group of companies collectively have paid taxes of Rs 23,199cr as GST from July 2017 to Sept 2023 (Rs 5,000 crore a year),” said N Nagappan of Future Gaming in a statement in 2023, adding that Martin had paid about Rs 4,577 crore as income tax between 1985 and 2023.
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Taxes, Legal Battles, and Unanswered Questions
Despite the controversies, Santiago Martin’s company claims to be a high taxpayer. However, legal cases and I-T raids continue to plague him. Martin himself has maintained silence on the recent controversy, leaving many to wonder about his motives behind the massive political donation.
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The Road Ahead
Despite the controversies and legal issues, Martin remains unfazed. “Maybe the searches were meant to intimidate. But we conduct our businesses legally,” says Leema Rose. Those who know him say he always finds a way to wriggle out of a difficult situation. And they’re willing to bet on that.
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The Final Bet
Santiago Martin’s story is one of ambition, controversy, and political intrigue. Whether he can wriggle out of his current situation, as those close to him believe, remains to be seen. Only time will tell the impact of his political contributions and the legacy he leaves behind.
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