Slots Scam Artist Waives Pre-Trial Hearing
One of the biggest concerns critics of legalizing and regulating gambling have is the issue of increased crime and fraud. As one analyst, Jason Medrick of Crownes, Malder and Medrick Marketing, said, “The numbers suggest that bigger pools create bigger case groups…meaning if you increase the number of casinos, you inevitably will have higher rates of crime and addictions in the community. It’s the law of probability.” Medrick believes that casinos legalization will bring about a higher crime rate and critics of gambling are saying that the US is doing little to safeguard itself or be ready for the rise in problems as a result of legalization of gambling.
One incident recently that made waves in the gambling industry was Patrick Loushil. Loushil is up on charges of theft due to exploiting a glitch in a malfunctioning machine at the Meadows Racino in Pennsylvania. Allegedly he was part of a scam that brought over $400,000 illegally to his pockets. Though he is pleading not guilty for the charges, he waived his pre-trial hearing rights and will be going directly to a courtroom for his next move.
Loushil did not act alone as the scam was a team of criminals working together. Kerry Laverde and Andre Nestor are also named in the suit. They were part of the scam and have also waived their rights to a hearing. Their legal representation claims that though their moves were questionable, they are merely “clever” and not thieves.
The casino howver has another story. They believe that an intricate option on the particular slot machine was altered and tampering is illegal. The casino also believes that they have the proper evidence to prove that one of the three men altered the machine and took advantage of the “glitch” in question. The alteratioin is what allowed the men to get larger payouts than what should have been released. The men also convinced an unknowing casino worker to change a feature on the machine. The worker didn’t realize that the change would make the machine payout incorrectly.
The men are set to begin their hearing early next year and Pennsylvania’s Meadow’s Racino will revamp their procedures. They are committed to changing protocols on the casino floor that educate all workers as to what is permitted and what isn’t.
Tags: crime, Laverde, Loushil, Nestor, Pennsylvania
