Las Vegas gamblers are charged in dice sliding scheme
Cheating gamblers are arrested after winning over $200,000 in craps game at The Cosmopolitan casino in Las Vegas ‘by using dice’
- Four Las Vegas men were charged with the alleged deception
- Police say they used ‘dice sliding’ to win $225,000 in craps at The Cosmopolitan
- Technique involves throwing dice in such a way that they don’t roll
Four Las Vegas men have been charged with illegally winning more than $200,000 in a “dice sliding” scheme at a craps table on the Las Vegas strip.
Antcharaporn Kamonlert, Hau Duc Ngo, Max Edward Rappoport and Oscar Ovidio Rodriguez Alvarado are charged in the case, which stems from an alleged scam at The Cosmopolitan casino.
Researchers say the group made at least $226,000 over the course of six days in December 2021 by sliding dice across the smooth surface of an electronic craps table, which allowed them to determine the outcome of the roll.
Ngo’s attorney, Mitchell S. Bisson, told DailyMail.com that his client vehemently denies the allegations, calling the allegations a “losing hand” for the state. Lawyers for the other three men did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Investigators from the Nevada Gaming Control Board said that “the cheating involved multiple suspects and took place on the Azure Roll to Win Electronic Craps table,” according to documents reported by KLAS TV.
Four Las Vegas men have been charged with illegally winning more than $200,000 in a ‘dice sliding’ scheme at The Cosmopolitan (above) on the Las Vegas strip
“The cheating method involving dice shifting and sliding occurs when the shooter slides one or both dice across the table to prevent the cubes from rolling,” the documents said.
“The dice will be in the same position they started, allowing the shooter to determine the outcome of the game,” researchers said in the documents.
“Before you throw the dice illegally [one person whose name is redacted in court documents] would signal the other by placing some bets in a circular motion around the main screen [wagers]the documents said.
Azure’s electronic tables use actual dice, but have a touchscreen table surface that allows them to operate semi-automatically, according to the company’s marketing materials.
Traditional craps tables use a felt top, which would presumably make dice ‘sliding’ across the surface much more challenging.
Kamonlert and Ovidio, who share a lawyer, are charged with six counts of committing a fraudulent act at a gambling establishment as a first offense and six counts of cheating at a gambling establishment as a first offense.
Rappoport faces the same charges, but on four counts each. Ngo faces three counts of each offense. The four cases are linked in court files.
Researchers say the “dice sliding” scheme occurred on an Azure Roll to Win Electronic Craps table, like the one above, which uses real dice but has a touchscreen table surface
‘Mr. Ngo strongly denies any allegation that he was involved in any way in cheating at a gambling establishment,” his lawyer Bisson told DailyMail.com in a statement.
‘Mr. Ngo maintains his innocence and firmly believes that the allegations are completely baseless. Mr. Ngo is a person of integrity and has an impeccable record both personally and professionally,” the lawyer added.
“I am confident that a thorough investigation will prove Mr Ngo right and expose these allegations as nothing more than a lost hand, so to speak.
“I urge the media and the public not to rush into judgment and instead allow the legal process to proceed while Mr. Ngo clears his name of these baseless allegations,” Bisson said.
The defendants were all released on personal recognition bonds. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for June 1.