The staffs in South American casinos are really behind, and it shows up heavily in their poker rooms. There is an abundance of cheating, much of which is fueled by the casinos' poker room policies. For example, poker rooms in Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Chile replace the cards much less often than is seen in the US and Europe, and the quality of the cards some use is certainly inferior. This has led to a swath of card-marking teams, some amateurish, others professional, but they all manage to make money cheating without much fear of getting caught.
Argentina, the most important South American gambling capital, seems to be above the rest of the field on the continent, though I have had reports of a few American and Russian collusion teams working Argentine poker rooms.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
No Moron! You Can't Win Against the Casino Playing Blackjack Switch...Unless You Cheat!
Believe it or not, I have gotten a dozen e-mails asking me if this was a game where the casinos were letting the players cheat the house! LOL. Can you believe that?!
Well, for those of you who want to cheat at Blackkack Switch, you better do some switching with something besides the cards--try the chips!
Friday, January 08, 2010
Should Poker Players Be Able to Change Their Online Names At Will? Pokernews.com Takes a Look
According to Michael Freidman and Nicole Gordon of PokerNews.com, whose article appears below, "it's an interesting question that needs some debate along with the online cheating issues. The recent debates regarding data mining in online poker has brought about a strong contingency of players who feel strongly about both sides of the issue. Adding some fuel to the fire is the Cake Poker Policy which allows players to change screen names every seven days. Here is both sides on whether or not this is good for online poker. You decide if it is good or not.
Knowing Who You Are Playing is a Big Part of the Game!
Knowing who your opponents are and how they play is a key element in poker, and Cake Poker's decision to allow players to switch names makes it impossible to know who you are playing against. Without knowing your opponent, you are at a disadvantage because you can't make judgments based on previous performances in various situations.
Although some people may say that profiling an opponent online is not a big deal when it comes to table strategy, tell that to the higher-stakes players who make their livings finding the leaks in weaker player's games.
Knowing who you are playing and how he or she performs is crucial to making the right decisions, so taking away a player's ability to do this changes the potential outcome of every hand.
The ability to change names adds a security risk for all players because you'll never know who you are playing. If players can change names every seven days, stronger players can take advantage of weaker ones by switching profiles regularly and dropping to lower levels of the "pokersphere."
This masquerade is unfair to weaker players because they have no idea that the sharks have dropped down to pick off the easy money. In essence, weaker players, often young and new at the game, have no protection against being taken advantage of, and they have no way to recognize that they are in over their heads.
It was the long-term play of cheater Russ Hamilton that ended up getting him caught. If there had been no data because he was able to change screen names regularly, there would have been much less of a chance of him being caught.
Because it is difficult to prove that people are colluding or cheating individually, one has to wonder how the removal of this layer of security benefits players. Hamilton got caught primarily because players were allowed to track his performance and find the irregularities. I shudder to think of how difficult it would have been to prove his guilt if had he been able to change his screen name every week.
Some believe that players should have the option to change their screen name regularly.
Cake Poker has a policy in place that they believe could revolutionize online poker. The site gives its players the opportunity to change screen names every seven days.
In an age of the online game when a player’s edge over his opponents is increasingly being determined by how much data he or she can collect on them, giving players the choice to return to anonymity could go a long way toward leveling the playing field again. Imagine if the larger U.S.-facing sites like Full Tilt and PokerStars allowed their players this choice. Tracking sites might go out of business, but the game itself would return to a purer time.
Sit down in any no-limit hold’em cash game or sit-n-go on Full Tilt or Poker Stars and it’s a strong probability that you’ll be playing against several regulars who have already pulled your stats off a site like PokerTableRatings or SharkScope. They know how much you’ve won. They know how much you've lost. They know how many hands you’ve played and when you played them. In the case of PokerTableRatings, they can look at an instant “report card” on your play and know whether you’re a tight-aggressive beast or a virtual ATM. Anonymity at the online tables is a thing of the past.
With mounds and mounds of data available at anyone’s fingertips, much of the soul has been sucked out of the online game. So much of the skill element in poker is about reading players, detecting betting patterns, anticipating our opponents’ moves and reacting appropriately. However, when a database is already telling you that in over 85,000 hands "JoeBlow420" raises only his top 15% of hands preflop but gets a C- for his play on the turn, your decisions can become robotic.
But what of the Ultimate Bet scandal? Didn’t all that chicanery go undetected for years because the superusers were constantly changing their screen names? Yes, but Russ Hamilton & Co. were also changing accounts. On Cake Poker your account is your account and your IP address is your IP address. It’s only the name that is visible to your opponents that can change.
Even with the option to change their screen names, many players would still choose not to do so. Online stars like “OMGClayAiken,” “gboro780” and “stevesbets” have built huge reputations surrounding those screen names and may still want them to invoke the fear of God in their opponents. But for your average low or middle-stakes cash game player, the ability to pull a virtual baseball cap over one’s eyes could transform their games and their results."
Got an opinion on this? Let me know.
Knowing Who You Are Playing is a Big Part of the Game!
Knowing who your opponents are and how they play is a key element in poker, and Cake Poker's decision to allow players to switch names makes it impossible to know who you are playing against. Without knowing your opponent, you are at a disadvantage because you can't make judgments based on previous performances in various situations.
Although some people may say that profiling an opponent online is not a big deal when it comes to table strategy, tell that to the higher-stakes players who make their livings finding the leaks in weaker player's games.
Knowing who you are playing and how he or she performs is crucial to making the right decisions, so taking away a player's ability to do this changes the potential outcome of every hand.
The ability to change names adds a security risk for all players because you'll never know who you are playing. If players can change names every seven days, stronger players can take advantage of weaker ones by switching profiles regularly and dropping to lower levels of the "pokersphere."
This masquerade is unfair to weaker players because they have no idea that the sharks have dropped down to pick off the easy money. In essence, weaker players, often young and new at the game, have no protection against being taken advantage of, and they have no way to recognize that they are in over their heads.
It was the long-term play of cheater Russ Hamilton that ended up getting him caught. If there had been no data because he was able to change screen names regularly, there would have been much less of a chance of him being caught.
Because it is difficult to prove that people are colluding or cheating individually, one has to wonder how the removal of this layer of security benefits players. Hamilton got caught primarily because players were allowed to track his performance and find the irregularities. I shudder to think of how difficult it would have been to prove his guilt if had he been able to change his screen name every week.
Some believe that players should have the option to change their screen name regularly.
Cake Poker has a policy in place that they believe could revolutionize online poker. The site gives its players the opportunity to change screen names every seven days.
In an age of the online game when a player’s edge over his opponents is increasingly being determined by how much data he or she can collect on them, giving players the choice to return to anonymity could go a long way toward leveling the playing field again. Imagine if the larger U.S.-facing sites like Full Tilt and PokerStars allowed their players this choice. Tracking sites might go out of business, but the game itself would return to a purer time.
Sit down in any no-limit hold’em cash game or sit-n-go on Full Tilt or Poker Stars and it’s a strong probability that you’ll be playing against several regulars who have already pulled your stats off a site like PokerTableRatings or SharkScope. They know how much you’ve won. They know how much you've lost. They know how many hands you’ve played and when you played them. In the case of PokerTableRatings, they can look at an instant “report card” on your play and know whether you’re a tight-aggressive beast or a virtual ATM. Anonymity at the online tables is a thing of the past.
With mounds and mounds of data available at anyone’s fingertips, much of the soul has been sucked out of the online game. So much of the skill element in poker is about reading players, detecting betting patterns, anticipating our opponents’ moves and reacting appropriately. However, when a database is already telling you that in over 85,000 hands "JoeBlow420" raises only his top 15% of hands preflop but gets a C- for his play on the turn, your decisions can become robotic.
But what of the Ultimate Bet scandal? Didn’t all that chicanery go undetected for years because the superusers were constantly changing their screen names? Yes, but Russ Hamilton & Co. were also changing accounts. On Cake Poker your account is your account and your IP address is your IP address. It’s only the name that is visible to your opponents that can change.
Even with the option to change their screen names, many players would still choose not to do so. Online stars like “OMGClayAiken,” “gboro780” and “stevesbets” have built huge reputations surrounding those screen names and may still want them to invoke the fear of God in their opponents. But for your average low or middle-stakes cash game player, the ability to pull a virtual baseball cap over one’s eyes could transform their games and their results."
Got an opinion on this? Let me know.
Why is Full Tilt Poker in My Top Ten Safest Online Poker Room Ratings?
For those of you unfamiliar with the Full Tilt online poker cheating scandal, this 4-Flush article covers it pretty well:
Brian Townsend’s Full Tilt Pro Status Suspended in Connection with Data Mining Accusations
The accusation was laid out over the last few days, in fact, we covered it here briefly yesterday Rule breaking by a group of Full Tilt Poker's pro's, Brian Townsend, not Brian Hastings, we'd like to first clear up any confusion and make that clear.
That means the guys Full Tilt Poker has hand picked to represent their online poker website could very well be cheating the very customers that support them.
In short, they admitted to at the very least colluding by sharing their hand histories in effort to gain an edge over isildur1. In fact, the rumor is that Full Tilt Poker has removed Brian Townsend's pro status for one month for his alleged part in the alleged $4 million dollar collusion ring.
Who knows how often this sort of thing is done, or how many get away with it on a daily basis, or if there's even a way to track team poker play against individuals on a day to day basis (commonly coined collusion). However when $4 million is removed from the coffers of a customer (isildur1) poker players tend to take notice.
ESPN first blew this story wide open, without even knowing it. Kudos went out to them from across the web. Whether it was people that agreed that isildur1 was cheated robbed, or people that assume everyone breaks the rules so no one, not even the online poker sites own representatives should have to follow them, everyone knew that Brian Townsend said in an interview that he and the boys at Card Runners (3 Full Tilt Poker Pro's) worked together to bust isildur1.
"Hastings had played Isildur1 three times previously, so he, Townsend and Cole South conglomerated their hand histories, allowing them to study the mystery man's playing style."
In that same article, the author brings up one player per hand rules... in defense of... The Cardrunners Three.
There are some who are bringing into question the validity of the work the CardRunners guys did in conjunction with one another. Cries of "One player per hand!"
He goes on later in the interview to point out that:
"By working together, this poker study group has put the pieces together quicker than ever, but in the new online age, improving efficiency is almost always the priority."
Brian chimes in:
"At that level, to be successful, you really have to take advantage of the little things," Hastings added. "They can help make the difference. That's why [the off-table analysis Townsend has been doing] is so important."
Where do we draw the line here however? A player in any sport looking to face a strong opponent would be heavily criticized if he did no due diligence. It is expected that every player do his best to look into other players. Using their own tools, insight and information to guide them.
In his response to the poker communities "pitchforks and torches calling for the hangings of the two Brians." Wise of ESPN assures us that "I spoke to Townsend and he informed me all of his actions were within the rules of FTP, mentioning his use of the presently sanctioned Hold'Em Manager."
After making this statement in this 2nd article, it seems as though Wise begins to set off smoke bombs, while walking through the house of mirrors.. Just like magic, the article changes, and the UIGEA becomes the topic.. Banks, and Customer service were mentioned, the legalities of poker in the United States and whether or not banks are enforcers...
He mentions diligently that Full Tilt Poker is a major supporter of the Poker Players Alliance, and he points out that ... "like the banks, the players aren't in the business of enforcement."
In his final paragraph, Mr. Wise felt the need to point out that he is not saying cheating is ok..
In a perfect world, we'd recognize the realities of what the advances in person-to-person communications mean to the online game and change the rules accordingly. That's not going to happen though. Admitting reality might scare the fish away. You can't touch the bottom line.
For those online poker fans that weren't following this story, we bring you a paraphrased recap from PokerBloggs.com
Brian Hastings make's $3,234,543.20 in just under 5 hours. Which works out to $646,908.64 / hour and $1,261 per hand over 2565 hands. Isildur1 would be on major tilt, while at the same time running bad.
In that article the author speculates that perhaps the reason Hastings dropped his backers just prior to this match is because he was stacked in part by the other 2 of the Musketeers, Brian Townsend and Cole South.
Mr. Hastings defends his teammates on his blog in the following quote:
“I wanted to clear up some allegations about Brian Hastings, Cole South and myself. First Brian H. Cole S and myself never colluded. Collusion is nearly impossible HU but there was always one person playing and never any ghosting occurring. In fact the only person to break the T&C of FullTilt Poker was myself. I had about 20k hands of play on Isildur and I acquired another 30k hands. This is against the T&C of FullTilt Poker and because of this violation I am going to have my red pro status suspended for one month.”
We emailed Full Tilt Poker for comment, so far we've received the following response:
This is an automated response to confirm we've received your email, and a representative will respond to you as soon as possible.
FBI Says Online Poker Cheating is Easy!
Source: Bob Hartman, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
A letter from a top FBI official to US Representative Spencer Bachus states that online poker cheating can occur by several methods. The anti-gambling demagogue is collecting whatever evidence he can dredge up to slow the momentum gathering behind the regulation of online gambling, and revealed the letter today at the House Financial Services Committee hearing on Internet gaming.
The letter was written November 13th by Shawn Henry, who is FBI Assistant Director in charge of the cyber division. Henry asserts that players can unite or exploit technology to artificially affect results at Internet poker.
"There are several ways to cheat at online poker, none of which are legal,? wrote Henry. ?The online poker vendors could detect this activity and put in place safeguards to discourage cheating, although it is unclear what the incentive would be for the vendor."
Regulation could require licensed online gambling sites to use technology to guard against fraud, just as is expected to prevent money laundering and underage participation. Without government oversight, consumers at online poker sites are left vulnerable to the manipulation Henry describes.
Online poker cheating at Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet was uncovered by observant players, who meticulously documented unlikely play results to eventually reveal corrupted software employed by the gambling sites. Certainly, vendors who are well-protected against cheating would have the incentive of drawing business from sites that could not verify games are honest.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Ultimate Bet Tries New "UB.com" Brand To Shed "Scarlett Letter" of Cheating Disgrace
Following the cheating scandal which surrounded the company last year and the subsequent creation of the Cereus poker network with sister site Absolute Poker, UltimateBet has announced that it is rebranding under the new name UB.com, the nickname by which it has been commonly known to its players over the past decade.
The extensive rebranding of its online poker room is part of a multi-layered makeover that delivers the streamlined UB brand name and logo, plus a range of other 'non-cosmetic' feature and functionality changes designed to improve players' experiences.
"The launch of UB.com represents a turning point for our company. We have assembled a great group of professionals who are passionate about poker to build the UB brand," said Paul Leggett, Chief Operating Officer of Tokwiro, UltimateBet's parent company. "Our goal is to create products and services that poker players really want. We are trying to listen very carefully to both our players and the poker community to help us achieve this goal."
The latest software update features a complete lobby redesign for improved navigation and usability, while new game filters enable UB players to quickly find the games they want.
"The launch of UB.com is not just a new domain with a different logo, it's much more than that. It's a complete new direction for UB. It's software built with the serious poker player in mind. It's a new television show that is truly about poker, not just another reality or game show. And finally, it's tournaments and promotions that poker players care about," said Leggett.
As part of an overhaul of the tournament schedule, over 30 new guaranteed poker tournaments and $1 million-plus in guarantees have been added every month to the line-up, including UB's improved tournament blind structures and the launch of synchronized breaks.
"In the ten years since I have been involved with the UB brand, I have never been prouder to represent the company as much as I am right now," said UB poker professional Phil Hellmuth. "We have great people captaining the ship, we have a great vibe and some serious swagger. I look forward to the day when we are the largest poker site on the planet."
The extensive rebranding of its online poker room is part of a multi-layered makeover that delivers the streamlined UB brand name and logo, plus a range of other 'non-cosmetic' feature and functionality changes designed to improve players' experiences.
"The launch of UB.com represents a turning point for our company. We have assembled a great group of professionals who are passionate about poker to build the UB brand," said Paul Leggett, Chief Operating Officer of Tokwiro, UltimateBet's parent company. "Our goal is to create products and services that poker players really want. We are trying to listen very carefully to both our players and the poker community to help us achieve this goal."
The latest software update features a complete lobby redesign for improved navigation and usability, while new game filters enable UB players to quickly find the games they want.
"The launch of UB.com is not just a new domain with a different logo, it's much more than that. It's a complete new direction for UB. It's software built with the serious poker player in mind. It's a new television show that is truly about poker, not just another reality or game show. And finally, it's tournaments and promotions that poker players care about," said Leggett.
As part of an overhaul of the tournament schedule, over 30 new guaranteed poker tournaments and $1 million-plus in guarantees have been added every month to the line-up, including UB's improved tournament blind structures and the launch of synchronized breaks.
"In the ten years since I have been involved with the UB brand, I have never been prouder to represent the company as much as I am right now," said UB poker professional Phil Hellmuth. "We have great people captaining the ship, we have a great vibe and some serious swagger. I look forward to the day when we are the largest poker site on the planet."
Sunday, November 22, 2009
New Online Poker Bot Detection Anti-Cheat Software!
A company in Cambridge, England, has developed software that will help protect online casinos and Internet gambling patrons from programs and robots in corrupt schemes. Featurespace has created programs that analyze behavioral choices, determining if improper use of statistical and predictive software is used in play.
The software developer already has signed deals with King.com to guard the firm's online skill games, and both Internet poker and online casino operators are eager to employ the product to prevent cheating. Betfair has already reached an agreement, and other online gaming companies are lining up to ink deals.
Software analysis searches for abnormal betting patterns, and then groups them into those choices that reward the player and those that don't. The system is able to tell when fraudulent play at online gambling is happening, and whether the choices are being made by a human or computer bot.
The need for greater detection methods of online gambling fraud and cheating was borne out by last year's scandal at online poker rooms Absolute Bet and Ultimate Poker. Crooked play was eventually detected, but only after months of intensive human investigation. If players can be assured that the integrity of online casinos is inviolate, the last complaint against Internet gambling may lose what weight it carries.
The software developer already has signed deals with King.com to guard the firm's online skill games, and both Internet poker and online casino operators are eager to employ the product to prevent cheating. Betfair has already reached an agreement, and other online gaming companies are lining up to ink deals.
Software analysis searches for abnormal betting patterns, and then groups them into those choices that reward the player and those that don't. The system is able to tell when fraudulent play at online gambling is happening, and whether the choices are being made by a human or computer bot.
The need for greater detection methods of online gambling fraud and cheating was borne out by last year's scandal at online poker rooms Absolute Bet and Ultimate Poker. Crooked play was eventually detected, but only after months of intensive human investigation. If players can be assured that the integrity of online casinos is inviolate, the last complaint against Internet gambling may lose what weight it carries.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
UK Whiz Gambler Cheats Electronic Roulette Tables For $75,000!
Tyrone Pooley, a 56 year-old creative professional gambler cheated a casino out of almost £40,000 during a marathon session at an electronic roulette wheel. He played non-stop for 15 hours after spotting a technical fault which meant he could not lose, a court heard. He opened a panel on the machine and operated switches inside to void games in which he had not placed a winning bet, Southampton Crown Court was told. He was caught after being seen nudging the machine with his knee on CCTV, sparking an investigation by bosses at Maxims Casino in Town Quay, Southampton.
Pooley placed spread bets amounting to £1,800 on every number except zero and the three numbers either side. After the ball was dispatched in each game, his wife, who was standing nearby, signalled to him if it had dropped into one of those seven numbers and he activated the door switches to cause a void. His bets would then be forwarded to the next game. The court heard that the machine had since been modified. Pooley, of Langdale Court, Hove, East Sussex, admitted cheating at gaming and received a 45-week suspended sentence coupled with a 200-hour community work order.
He received a light sentence because of mitigating factors including an ill wife ten years older than he.
Pooley placed spread bets amounting to £1,800 on every number except zero and the three numbers either side. After the ball was dispatched in each game, his wife, who was standing nearby, signalled to him if it had dropped into one of those seven numbers and he activated the door switches to cause a void. His bets would then be forwarded to the next game. The court heard that the machine had since been modified. Pooley, of Langdale Court, Hove, East Sussex, admitted cheating at gaming and received a 45-week suspended sentence coupled with a 200-hour community work order.
He received a light sentence because of mitigating factors including an ill wife ten years older than he.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Turkish UK Casino Cheat Caught Entering Casinos With Elaborate Fake IDs
Muliple-identity Card Cheat Jailed for Tricking His Way Back Into Casinos
A casino fraudster, who has been banned from every casino in the UK, has been jailed for using multiple identities and deceptive behaviour to win thousands at the tables.
Abdullah Toksoz, 40, used a variety of false documents to get pass casino security and gain access to casinos. Once inside, Toksoz would use a concealed pinhead, hidden under a fingernail, to mark cards in games of brag. This would give him a distinct advantage over the house, making him huge profits in the process.
The Turkish national was arrested by police at Heathrow airport in June with thousands of pounds of cash in his pockets. The father if one was jailed for 16 months after admitting to six counts of fraud and deception relating to the casino cheating incidents between 2005-2008. Southwark Crown Court heard how Toksoz used multiple identities, including Italian, American and Bulgarian documentation to gain access to casinos. The documents ranged from driving licences to ID Cards, all with different names and nationalities.
Nicholas Mather, for the prosecution, said: “His existence has been known of for at least ten years, and from the mid-1990s he has been banned from all casinos in this country.”
Judge Anthony Pitts, passing sentence, said: “You were determined over a period of three years to use different ID documents that you had obtained, all of them false, to gain entry to casinos, knowing that you were banned as a casino cheat. “These are very serious offences. There is a persistent period of three years of determined dishonesty.”
A casino fraudster, who has been banned from every casino in the UK, has been jailed for using multiple identities and deceptive behaviour to win thousands at the tables.
Abdullah Toksoz, 40, used a variety of false documents to get pass casino security and gain access to casinos. Once inside, Toksoz would use a concealed pinhead, hidden under a fingernail, to mark cards in games of brag. This would give him a distinct advantage over the house, making him huge profits in the process.
The Turkish national was arrested by police at Heathrow airport in June with thousands of pounds of cash in his pockets. The father if one was jailed for 16 months after admitting to six counts of fraud and deception relating to the casino cheating incidents between 2005-2008. Southwark Crown Court heard how Toksoz used multiple identities, including Italian, American and Bulgarian documentation to gain access to casinos. The documents ranged from driving licences to ID Cards, all with different names and nationalities.
Nicholas Mather, for the prosecution, said: “His existence has been known of for at least ten years, and from the mid-1990s he has been banned from all casinos in this country.”
Judge Anthony Pitts, passing sentence, said: “You were determined over a period of three years to use different ID documents that you had obtained, all of them false, to gain entry to casinos, knowing that you were banned as a casino cheat. “These are very serious offences. There is a persistent period of three years of determined dishonesty.”
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Slot Boss Cheat Gets 50 Years in Prison!
Plea For Leniency Fails Casino Swindler
Slot boss Daniel Roybal will now have decades in prison to think about the embezzlement from Sandia Casino prosecutors are calling one of the biggest such crimes in local history. Roybal, 39, and a now-dead colleague stole more than $1 million from the casino where Roybal worked as the slot-machine manager. He was facing 699 criminal counts that could have netted him 2,000 years in prison sentences. Instead he cut a deal with the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office and pleaded guilty to 17 charges.
On Monday a District Court Judge Ross Sanchez sentenced him to 50 years in prison, more time than many violent criminals get. With good behavior he could be out in 25 years. (Man, he shoulda never pleaded out for this!)
Pleas for leniency from Roybal and his family fell on deaf ears.
"One chance so I can be home with my family is all I'm asking for," Roybal said in court. Roybal and co-worker Lynn Gallo faked jackpots and pocketed the cash, according to investigators. Gallo died before she could face charges.
"They worked a few days together, and they started off kind of small; $3,000 a day or so, $4,000 a day that they would steal on average," prosecutor Robin Hammer said. "On the very last day that they were caught they stole $20,000 in one day." Investigators said overall the pair swindled $1.2 million over the course of 14 months. They were busted in October 2006 after the casino's accounting department noticed something fishy in jackpot pay outs.
Sandia Pueblo tribal police said Roybal bought an expensive boat and camper. They also reported they found $60,000 in cash at his home, some of it in a shed in his backyard. District Attorney Kari Brandenburg called Roybal's scheme one of the largest white-collar crimes ever uncovered in Bernalillo County. As part of his plea deal Roybal must also pay back some of the money to Sandia Casino. The amount has yet to be determined.
My Take: This is a much too severe penalty for ripping off a casino!
Slot boss Daniel Roybal will now have decades in prison to think about the embezzlement from Sandia Casino prosecutors are calling one of the biggest such crimes in local history. Roybal, 39, and a now-dead colleague stole more than $1 million from the casino where Roybal worked as the slot-machine manager. He was facing 699 criminal counts that could have netted him 2,000 years in prison sentences. Instead he cut a deal with the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office and pleaded guilty to 17 charges.
On Monday a District Court Judge Ross Sanchez sentenced him to 50 years in prison, more time than many violent criminals get. With good behavior he could be out in 25 years. (Man, he shoulda never pleaded out for this!)
Pleas for leniency from Roybal and his family fell on deaf ears.
"One chance so I can be home with my family is all I'm asking for," Roybal said in court. Roybal and co-worker Lynn Gallo faked jackpots and pocketed the cash, according to investigators. Gallo died before she could face charges.
"They worked a few days together, and they started off kind of small; $3,000 a day or so, $4,000 a day that they would steal on average," prosecutor Robin Hammer said. "On the very last day that they were caught they stole $20,000 in one day." Investigators said overall the pair swindled $1.2 million over the course of 14 months. They were busted in October 2006 after the casino's accounting department noticed something fishy in jackpot pay outs.
Sandia Pueblo tribal police said Roybal bought an expensive boat and camper. They also reported they found $60,000 in cash at his home, some of it in a shed in his backyard. District Attorney Kari Brandenburg called Roybal's scheme one of the largest white-collar crimes ever uncovered in Bernalillo County. As part of his plea deal Roybal must also pay back some of the money to Sandia Casino. The amount has yet to be determined.
My Take: This is a much too severe penalty for ripping off a casino!
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