Authorities have charged six individuals in connection with a complex cheating operation that swindled the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana out of more than $700,000 in under a week. The group stands accused of running a high-stakes baccarat con that spread to over ten casinos across at least six states.
Hard Rock Casino Targeted in $700K Baccarat Scheme
Court documents filed in Lake Criminal Court reveal that Jianchu Liu, Fuxiang Liu, Qingyong Zhang, Honghui Wu, Daiqi Wang, and Yuhan Hu are suspected of cheating at baccarat. They used a mix of card tricks, hidden cameras, and team betting plans to take advantage of weak spots in the game, reported Northwest Indiana Times. Each suspect now faces charges of felony theft and gambling fraud, with arrest warrants out for all of them.
The group targeted baccarat tables where dealers showed card faces while shuffling. They used sneaky methods, like hiding a phone under a cigarette pack to record the cards. One member would then go to check the video, often outside or in the bathroom. When they came back, players made big bets up to $20,000 because they knew the card order.
Investigators claim the group picked specific tables and dealers looking for chances to see cards. Sometimes, one person would block the casino cameras by holding a scorecard in front of what the dealer was doing. This allowed another to mess with the card shoe or take videos.
Tech-Driven Baccarat Scheme Leaves Multi-State Casino Losses in Its Wake
Odd betting patterns, such as big wagers placed near the end of games, caught the eye of casino workers. At first, investigators thought a dealer might be in on it, but talks and phone records showed the person in question had not talked to the suspects. The dealer’s shuffling style just made cheating easier.
The scheme at Hard Rock Casino looked a lot like what happened in other states. Police said the same crew used similar tricks at casinos in Illinois, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, and California. They got kicked out of a Chicago casino not long after it opened, and caused big financial troubles at other places too.
Legal documents indicate the fraud occurred from July 2023 to March 2024, generating over $1.5 million in illicit gains. Police characterize the scheme as well-planned and adaptable, depending on tech-savvy teamwork and in-depth knowledge of baccarat gameplay.
As the probe goes on, police departments in several states are working together to find the suspects and figure out how far their activities stretched.