The Stunning Overdose at Mohegan Sun
A gripping video from 2021 reveals how Ethan Bherwani, the son of an ex-City Hall bigwig, tragically collapsed from an overdose of fentanyl while playing blackjack at Mohegan Sun. Casino workers waited minutes before getting him help, and Jerrard Santiago, who supplied the drugs, was seen slinking away. Passersby tried to help, but were ordered away by the casino employees. It was minutes before medics from the Mohegan Tribe’s reservation arrived on the scene, and though they tried desperately to revive him, Ethan was declared brain dead at the hospital and died days later.
Chilling Statistics
Ethan’s system had fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol, but it was the fentanyl that likely killed him according to court records. His father, Kamal Bherwani, is convinced that if medics had arrived sooner, his son would be alive today. He is now on a quest to raise awareness about the fentanyl-overdose epidemic and has started a non-profit foundation to raise awareness and urge local governments to mandate naloxone availability in public buildings.
Coming up Against Allegations
Bherwani is also accusing Mohegan tribe of attempting to cover up his son’s death by taking advantage of the casino’s location on a reservation. He filed a lawsuit against Mohegan, which was initially dismissed, but he plans to file a new lawsuit to seek justice for his son. Despite this, a Soloviev-Mohegan security advisor claims that Mohegan has a strong safety record and has not had any opioid overdose deaths since 2023. They now have naloxone available on site to reverse opioid overdoses.
An Ongoing Effort
Bherwani is calling for Governor Hochul to deny Mohegan’s bid for a New York City casino license, based on the handling of his son’s case. He has even criticized the donation of $30,000 to her campaign. Regardless, Hochul’s spokesperson stated that the state is actively working to address the opioid and overdose epidemic by distributing naloxone kits statewide. This tragic incident has sparked an ongoing message of drug epidemic prevention and safety awareness initiatives involving the larger community.