Casino Gaming Authorities Issue Caution Over Employee Theft Scam
Recently, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) and the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) issued serious warnings to casinos about a fraudulent scheme ongoing against their workers. This scam involves phone calls made to employees at the cash cages. The caller pretends to be a high-ranking casino executive and commands the employee to withdraw money from the casino and take it to another location. They threaten "negative consequences" if the employee doesn't agree to follow orders.
As soon as the employee expresses hesitation or resistance, the caller claims there's an urgent need for the offsite payment. In a statement dated July 7, the NGCB mentioned, "This type of fraudulent scheme has been surprisingly effective in cheating casinos."
A series of events follow this initial phone call, where the employee receives a text confirming the instructions. Typically, individuals who are most vulnerable to this scam are cage cashiers, supervisors, managers, as well as personnel in surveillance, security, and gaming pits. The NGCB advises casinos to alert these employees about the scam.
Two specific cases were reported involving this scheme. In June, Erik Gutierrez, a 23-year-old jobless man, was apprehended and charged with stealing over $100K from a Las Vegas casino hotel. He posed as the casino owner and instructed a cage supervisor to remove money for the purchase of fire prevention devices and for a payment to the fire department. The supervisor took the cash and, on several occasions, transported it to an off-site location, believing the person collecting it was an attorney for the casino.
A search of Gutierrez's residence resulted in the discovery of a bag of US currency bearing the name "Circa". The authorities seized about $850K, but they're still trying to recover the remaining $250K.
Danika Young, a 38-year-old cash cage supervisor at Michigan's Four Winds Hartford Casino, allegedly stole approximately $700K from the gaming establishment. She was verbally instructed to deliver the money to a location in Gary, Indiana and was subsequently charged with embezzlement of over $100K. The missing money hasn't been found yet.
The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) also put out a statement on July 13, warning tribal authorities to ensure that employees with easy access to cash assets are made aware of the scam. They should know how to handle situations like these.
With the advancement of technology, there's an increased risk of such scams. As the NGCB cautioned, "Licensees should be aware that more sophisticated tech, such as artificial intelligence, may enhance the efficiency of this type of criminal activity. To prevent this, stricter security protocols must be implemented right away to protect employee information and casino assets."
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Source: www.casino.org
