Banned Gambler Wins in Indiana Casino, Faces Charges

Cheating in casinos across the United States can have different consequences for the people who attempt it. Most of the time the sum lost to the unlawful activity is considered but a cheating attempt may result in further charges that depending on the state can be misdemeanors or even felonies. In one such criminal case from Indiana, a woman was hit with several charges, accusing her of cheating at Harrah’s Hoosier Park casino in Anderson.

Woman Wins Jackpot, Says a Friend Hit It

Late in October, a woman was observed gambling at the aforementioned casino. At some point, the 54-year-old woman, identified with the initials C.K., won a jackpot from a slot game, WRTV reports. The woman was then approached by Harrah’s Hoosier Park casino employees who wanted to help her fill out the required documents in order to collect the jackpot.

However, the 54-year-old woman told the casino workers that she wasn’t the one who won the jackpot. C.K. reportedly claimed that she arrived at the casino together with a male friend who was the person who actually won the grand prize. With no such person present, the woman allegedly told the casino staff that the person had gone to his car to take his driver’s license.

The Winner Who Was Previously Evicted Is Now Facing Several Charges

The casino employees became suspicious of the situation. A manager on shift was notified and they concluded that there was no other person present when the 54-year-old woman hit the jackpot. Thus, a person who appeared to claim the jackpot was denied.

The woman then filled in the documents required for the jackpot but the submitted social security number was ineligible. This raised further concerns and once the 54-year-old gambler was questioned, she admitted that last December, she was involved in another attempted jackpot switch at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The woman’s actions resulted in the filing of several charges against her. She is now facing identity deception and cheating on a gambling game, two charges recognized as felonies, as well as a criminal trespass misdemeanor charge.

While the two felony charges are the result of the woman’s recent actions, the criminal trespass charge is tied to a previous eviction. The affidavit with the probable cause claims that the woman denied knowing anything about previous evictions from casinos across the state.

However, she reportedly has a lifetime ban from casinos by the Indiana Gaming Commission. The lifetime ban lists the woman as banned from all casinos, including Harrah’s Hoosier Park where she recently won the slot jackpot. The size of the jackpot the woman won is unclear but given her status, she is not going to be able to collect it and is in fact facing further legal trouble.