Illinois Group Accused of Defrauding Wind Creek Casino in Baccarat Scam

A group of four individuals from Illinois is facing charges in connection with a sophisticated baccarat scam that reportedly swindled the Wind Creek Bethlehem casino out of a staggering $300,000. The alleged scheme, involving six individuals in total, unfolded in the early hours of March 13, culminating in the detention of the four accused parties.

Illinois Group Employed Strategic Card Placement and Cellphone Tracking

According to court documents, Zu Lin, Yuhan Hu, Liping Zhou, and Zhencan Chen, all residents of Illinois, were apprehended by authorities following the departure of two other members of their group, Fuxiang Liu, and alleged ringleader Qingyong Zhang, reported local media outlet Lehigh Valley Live. The incident occurred around 7 a.m. at the Wind Creek Gaming Office.

Police reports suggest that the scam commenced shortly before 4 a.m. as the six individuals congregated at a reserved baccarat table on the casino floor. Qingyong Zhang, the purported mastermind, employed various techniques, including strategic card positioning and covert cell phone use, to track the order of cards as the deck was shuffled.

Subsequently, Zhang and Hu temporarily left the gaming area, reconvening at Hu’s hotel room before returning to the table to resume play. At approximately 5:10 a.m., Zhang allegedly signaled for the group to escalate their betting activity, prompting a series of lucrative wins over the ensuing half-hour.

Following their successful stint at the baccarat table, the group dispersed, with Zhang and Liu exiting the premises while the remaining four members engaged in other games within the casino. During interrogation, Hu disclosed that Zhang had compensated him with $5,000 for his participation, with all proceeds from the operation reportedly funneled to Zhang himself.

The Four Members of the Gourp Face Felony Charges

Further investigation revealed prior involvement in similar illicit gambling activities by Hu and Zhou in Illinois and Missouri, respectively. Consequently, the four apprehended individuals are facing felony charges of participation in a corrupt organization. While Lin, Hu, and Chen managed to post bail set at $100,000, Zhou remains in custody at Northampton County Prison.

Notably, the accused individuals, aged between 28 and 51, all hail from Chicago, with Lin being the exception, originating from Mount Vernon, Illinois. Legal representatives for the defendants have yet to provide comment on the matter, leaving lingering questions surrounding the intricate web of deception orchestrated within the confines of the Wind Creek Bethlehem casino.

Baccarat is seemingly a coveted mark for scammers. Recently authorities in Pennsylvania have been actively searching for Jianchu Liu, a 47-year-old Chinese national suspected of involvement in a professional cheating ring targeting baccarat games at casinos across the United States, including Mohegan Pennsylvania. 

Liu’s alleged sophisticated cheating method involved recording card sequences with his cellphone, prompting casino surveillance to identify him. Despite a warrant for his arrest on fraud-related charges, Liu remains at large, and authorities are seeking public assistance in locating him. This incident adds to a series of recent baccarat-related cheating scandals, including accusations against a Mohegan Sun dealer in January.