Suspect in $750K Casino Scam Arrested One Year Later
Date: 2024-08-09 Author: Leon Pierce Categories: CASINO
One of the suspects, R.B., 36, was arrested by Las Vegas police over the weekend. His bail was set at $30,000.
Casino Cashier Scams: How Employees Fall Victims
According to preliminary information, there was another person involved in the scam. According to reports, the employee received a call from a person claiming to be a casino lawyer and asked to pick up $750,000 from the cashier's desk and deliver the money to an address eight miles away from the casino.
The employee immediately believed the scammer because he received text messages on his phone about an upcoming UPS delivery that needed to be paid for. Upon returning to Sam's Town, the employee immediately reported the possible scam to his supervisor.
This type of fraud became a hallmark of this two-member gang, which used similar tactics in another incident. They combined social engineering, brazenness, and posing as authority figures that employees would not dare approach directly. So the Sam’s Town employee only realized the possibility of a scam after handing over the money.
Police believe R.B. was involved in another similar scam, operating under a similar scheme with an unknown accomplice. According to police documents, R.B.’s role in the fraud is not yet clear.
Casino Cash Desk Fraud on the Rise
Casino cash desk fraud has become more common despite increased security measures. A key factor in the success of these schemes is the vulnerability of casino employees, who are often unaware of such deception methods. Fraudsters use modern technology, such as fake messaging systems, and create a sense of urgency, forcing employees to act quickly.
For example, a Las Vegas court sentenced one con man, E.G.M., 25, to one year in prison for defrauding a casino employee of more than $1 million. M. also received a suspended sentence of up to 96 months. He committed several brazen scams, including defrauding a Circa Hotel & Casino employee of $1,170,000 in four payments in a parking lot.
The employee received a call from a man claiming to be the owner of the hotel and claiming to need an emergency payment for the fire department. The four payments were made in different locations outside the casino.
M. is also suspected of another scam in which an employee of the Eureka Casino Resort handed over $250,000. He may have been involved in a similar scam at the Golden Nugget in Laughlin, although investigators have been unable to prove his involvement.
However, M.'s story is not unique. Similar scams have occurred in Michigan and Colorado, where casinos have also been defrauded and only realized it after the money was handed over under suspicious circumstances.
