Vegas Dealers Arrested after Baccarat Cheating System Uncovered
Two baccarat dealers in Las Vegas have been detained and charged following an investigation that concluded the dealers allegedly helped two players cheat and win at the baccarat tables.
The accusations of cheating date back to May 2022. The dealers were employed at the Rampart Casino, part of the luxurious JW Marriot Las Vegas Resort in Summerlin, roughly 10 miles west of the Strip. It is alleged that two players were “winning more than usual”, making casino management suspicious and causing them to alert the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Fortunately, there is no such danger when you play conveniently at your favorite online baccarat sites.
Early Reveal of Cards Caught on CCTV
Surveillance footage examined by investigators suggests that Yuxuan Leng and a second dealer, whose identity remains undisclosed in court filings, had prematurely revealed cards to players before they were required to place their final bets.
As stated in the court documents:
“Once the dealers revealed the gaming cards to [the two players], it provided them knowledge of the game and possible outcome. The players] would then make their wager already knowing the outcome of the game.”
The investigation found that on two and four separate occasions, respectively, Leng and the other dealer had shown the cards to the players. This allowed each player to reportedly amass over $5,000 each.
Player Confesses to Cheating
When confronted about potential cheating, one player confessed to having prearranged for the dealers to expose the cards during his baccarat sessions, which influenced his betting decisions. However, the other player denied any involvement in cheating.
The second dealer, whose name remains confidential, also denied deliberate card exposure. He said that he was one of the “fastest dealers” and that, on occasion, he was “sloppy”, suggesting that any early card reveals were accidental. Leng was not questioned by investigators regarding these incidents.
Leng was recently arrested for her alleged involvement in the scheme and is facing charges related to cheating and conspiring to cheat in gambling games. Her next court appearance is scheduled for December. The other dealer has likewise been arrested and charged with cheating.
Not the First Baccarat Cheating Scheme
This is far from the first time that cheating at baccarat tables has been uncovered and it is unlikely to be the last. The most recent scandal was in June 2020 when a former baccarat dealer from the Strat, Ying Yu, was arrested for “dumping”.
Dumping is a scheme in which a Maryland dealer helps a player in exchange for extra tips. Court documents filed in this case claimed that Yu neglected to collect a player’s losing bets on four separate occasions and was tipped more than $100 in exchange.
Before that, in December 2019, the baccarat dealer Ming Zhang was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in a million-dollar baccarat cheating scheme. After serving his sentence, Zhang was due to be placed under supervised release for three years and he was also ordered by Maryland U.S. District Court Judge Paul W. Grimm to pay back the casino for its losses.
The casino where the scheme took place was not identified by prosecutors, but it was reported that Zhang worked at the MGM National Harbor near Washington, D.C. According to prosecutors, the scheme cost the casino $1,046,560.
Had he not agreed to a deal to plead guilty to a single count of conspiracy to transport stolen funds, Zhang may have faced up to five years in prison.
The scheme saw the dealer alert an unnamed co-conspirator whenever he was due to deal at the baccarat tables. Zhang then enabled the player to see an exposed section of the baccarat deck and would photograph it. Zhang would then place the exposed cards into the shoe without shuffling them, ensuring that the player knew the order in which cards would be dealt.
