Cheating ring reaped $7 million from 16 casinos

[jetset]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23935308/

SAN DIEGO - A fired card dealer accused of leading a crew that swindled casinos out of $7 million has pleaded guilty to multiple charges.

Federal prosecutors say it's one of largest cheating schemes ever broken up.

Phuong Quoc Truong, 42, ran the San Diego-based operation that hit 16 casinos nationwide. The scheme involved bribes to casino supervisors and card dealers and used blocks of unshuffled cards.

Truong, who pleaded guilty Wednesday to racketeering conspiracy and theft charges, faces up to 20 years in prison.

He is the seventh of 19 members of the ring to plead guilty.

[Slotster!]

Originally Posted by jetset

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23935308/

SAN DIEGO - A fired card dealer accused of leading a crew that swindled casinos out of $7 million has pleaded guilty to multiple charges.

Federal prosecutors say it's one of largest cheating schemes ever broken up.

Phuong Quoc Truong, 42, ran the San Diego-based operation that hit 16 casinos nationwide. The scheme involved bribes to casino supervisors and card dealers and used blocks of unshuffled cards.

Truong, who pleaded guilty Wednesday to racketeering conspiracy and theft charges, faces up to 20 years in prison.

He is the seventh of 19 members of the ring to plead guilty.

Someone went to see "21" and thought "Hold on a minute..."

[Mousey]

I noticed in another news report that they played (hit) Goldstrike and Horseshoe in Tunica in a list of 16 casinos. Great... so just how many casino employees did they bribe in all?

Oh. And if we don't usually worry about a dealer cheating at a B&M casino... maybe we should!

[brianzz]

Here's a link to the federal indictment, the first few pages lists all of the "victim" casinos. Looks like he was on a roll for awhile in MS.

http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2007/May...07_crm_385.pdf

[Mousey]

I can't find the relevant story right off hand to cross reference the names, but is this the same people (or some of the same) who are under indictment in Canada for much the same scheme?

[Mousey]

High Tech Casino Cheats Plead Guilty
Published Thu, 2008-07-03 13:23
Son Hong Johnson, 45, pled guilty in San Diego to conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise, the "Tran Organization," in a scheme to cheat casinos across the country out of millions of dollars. Johnson also plead guilty to conspiring to commit theft from the Emerald Queen Casino, an Indian tribal gaming establishment near Tacoma, Wash.

A three-count indictment was returned in San Diego on May 22, 2007, and unsealed on May 24, 2007, charging Johnson and 13 others each with one count of conspiracy to participate in the affairs of a racketeering enterprise; one count of conspiracy to commit several offenses against the U.S., including conspiracy to steal money and other property from Indian tribal casinos; and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of his plea agreement, Johnson agreed to have a separate indictment against him transferred to San Diego for plea purposes. The separate indictment, returned on May 24, 2007, in the Western District of Washington, charged Johnson and seven others for alleged violations related to card-cheating activity at the Emerald Queen Casino.

The San Diego indictment also charged five separate individuals each with one ....