Worker at Aria Resort Accused of Swiping $776K for Luxurious Living
A former manager at the Aria Resort & Casino is currently in a Las Vegas jail cell, facing 15 charges. It's alleged that he stole around $776,000 from the prestigious MGM Resorts International property throughout a year.
The stolen funds were reportedly used to purchase private jets, a luxurious residence, and high-end goods from stores like Versace and Louis Vuitton. Additionally, tickets for top shows and fancy meals were also purchased.
The suspect has been identified as Brandon Rashaad Johnson, a 38-year-old hotel operations manager at the renowned Las Vegas Strip resort. Johnson had been employed by MGM Resorts since 2007 but quit before returning to the Aria in 2013.
According to KSNV, Johnson reportedly stole the funds through a scheme that involved putting numerous reservation refunds on a personal credit card.
Johnson decided to turn himself in to the LVMPD last week. He has since hired lawyers from Las Vegas Defense Group, a criminal defense firm. His first appearance in court is scheduled for next Monday. He has yet to enter a plea in the case. Bail has not been set.
As he cannot use stolen money to post bail, Johnson remains in the Clark County Detention Center.
Uncovering the Scam
This scam was discovered in July when another manager at the hotel received expensive gifts from Johnson and was frequently taken out on pricey evenings. Johnson told him the money came from being a private chef for wealthy clients. This tale raised eyebrows, as the unnamed coworker had never heard about Johnson's second career.
Feeling uneasy, the coworker looked into financial records and confirmed their suspicions. The person alerted Aria's director of hotel operations, leading to an audit on July 25. Johnson then resigned a few days later, prompting an investigation by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD).
The audit revealed that 309 reservation refunds were added to a single account by Johnson between July 2022 and July 2023. In July 2022 alone, the thief is said to have stolen almost $110,000 in 37 fraudulent refunds.
Most of the funds were later transferred between bank accounts, as stated in the LVMPD's arrest report.
"Illegal money handling involves transferring stolen funds between accounts, making the criminal funds more difficult to trace and making the stolen money appear legitimate," the arrest report revealed, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The Charges
Johnson has been charged with:
- Two counts of theft between $5,000 and $25,000
- Nine counts of theft between $25,000 and $100,000
- Two counts of theft above $100,000
- One count of money laundering
- One count of attempted money laundering
- One count of a computer-related felony
The MGM Resorts has not yet released a statement on the matter.
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