Calgary Police Bust Alleged Insider Fake-Payout Casino Scam

Police in southwest Calgary, Alberta have detained a group of alleged casino cheaters who allegedly used insiders to defraud a casino of undeserved gains.

According to a news release from the Calgary Police Service (CPS), authorities have accused three women, Yalan Yin, 50, Rosielyn Konno, 57, and Catherine Manipon, 48, with fraud, along with two men, Leonilo Calahi Juan, 51, and Rui Qin Huang, 52.

According to the CPS, "two casino staff illegitimately handed "unearned winnings" to three consumers who engaged in various card games on multiple occasions between October 31 and November 19.

The casino in question was not identified by Calgary police. Authorities have not said if the incident took place at the Grey Eagle Resort & Casino, the only significant casino in the southwest region of the city.

Untrustworthy Vendors or Something Else?

The most prevalent type of insider cheating at casinos, according to the description, may have involved dealers overpaying wins, paying out on losing hands, or placing more chips inside the payout stack.

However, the CPS statement's wording raises the possibility that workers with access to payout verification systems staged or falsified winning game outcomes before paying out bonuses to accomplices. The inquiry is still underway, and CPS has not revealed the specifics of the scheme's operation.

The charging document indicates that over $5,000 was taken during the three weeks the scam ran, although it has not revealed how much was taken. Since Konno and Manipon each face one count of criminal breach of trust, the charges also suggest that they were the employees engaged in the inside job.

Ruse rumbled

Because they leave a trail, overpayment schemes typically fall apart quickly. During regular audits, payouts don't match surveillance footage, the same players accumulate unlikely wins, and the table's numbers cease to make statistical sense.

It was the same with this one. On November 19, police were dispatched to the casino in response to allegations of fraud and theft. At the scene, all five suspects were taken into custody.

“Addressing financial crime requires a united approach across different agencies,” said CPS spokesman Inspector Scott Neilson in a statement.

“The Calgary Police Service works closely with regulatory bodies and industry partners to ensure gaming industry standards are followed, and those who attempt to exploit them are held accountable. We thank our investigators and partners for their diligent work in helping us advance this investigation.”