MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Congressional candidate and veteran political consultant Steve Raby once ran four north Alabama political action committees that authorities say were used to route $200,000 from a Dothan casino owner to a state senator in a vote-buying scheme. Raby says he relinquished control of the PACs weeks before the money transfers.

An indictment unsealed Monday in a Statehouse bribery probe said the owner of the Country Crossing casino in Dothan, Ronnie Gilley, issued four checks for $50,000 each in March 2010 to four separate north Alabama PACS. Authorities said the funds were intended for state Sen. Harri Anne Smith’s campaign in return for her vote on a bill to legalize electronic bingo.

Gilley and Smith, an independent from Slocomb, were among 11 Statehouse figures indicted. They have denied doing anything wrong.

Campaign finance records filed with the Alabama Secretary of State’s office show that the four PACs receiving the money were once operated by Raby, but a nephew of his was running them when the donations were reported.

Raby, in an interview Tuesday, said he was operating the PACs through his consulting business in Huntsville, Direct Communications, but cut off involvement with the company and the PACs when he decided to run for Congress in February of this year. He said his nephew, W. Bryant Raby, is now running the PACs.

“I’m not involved in any of that. I’m running for Congress,” Raby said. “I’ve never met Ronnie Gilley.”

The campaign finance records reviewed by The Associated Press show that the 2010 Senate Majority PAC, the Progress for Alabama PAC and a PAC called TN Valley Citizens for Economic Development each received $50,000 from Gilley Entertainment of Enterprise — Ronnie Gilley’s company — on April 16, 2010, a few weeks after the March 24 date cited in the indictment.

The Secretary of State’s records show that another PAC, Real Democrat PAC, received a check for $50,000 from Gilley Entertainment in the same recording period, but campaign finance reports showed the date the donation was received as Dec. 2, 2013. There was no indication what the correct date was supposed to be.

The campaign finance records show W. Bryant Raby listed as the chairman and-or treasurer of all four PACs.

Efforts to reach Bryant Raby were unsuccessful. He did not return messages left for him at Direct Communications.

The Decatur Daily first reported that the PACs had been operated by Raby, the Democratic nominee running against Republican Mo Brooks for the open seat in north Alabama’s 5th Congressional District.

Steve Raby said the PACs have been active for a number of years and in the past have given money to both Republican and Democratic candidates.

Brooks said he is concerned that the money was being routed through PACs that had been operated by Raby.

“The public needs to know that Steve Raby is a lobbyist and advocates policy positions based on who has the most money,” Brooks said.

The federal indictment charges that the 11 conspired to buy and sell votes in support of a bill to legalize electronic bingo.

Named as defendants along with Gilley and Smith were the owner of the Victoryland Casino in Macon County, Milton McGregor; state Sens. Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery, Jim Preuitt, R-Talladega, and Larry Means, D-Attalla; lobbyists Tom Coker and Bob Geddie, who represent VictoryLand; lobbyist Jarrod Massey and public relations executive Jay Walker, who represent Country Crossing; and Ray Crosby, an attorney for the Legislature who helped write gambling legislation.