The post Magician Convicted After Seven Years on the Run After Cheating at Casinos appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
A magician who had been on the run for seven years was caught in Mississippi and subsequently prosecuted. Shaun Joseph Benward was found guilty of multiple felony charges, including money laundering, cheating at a gambling game, and conspiracy to commit a felony.
The investigation dates back to 2018 when the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Special Enforcement Operations Bureau started looking into the 38-year-old.
They obtained evidence of Benward cheating at the Grand Falls Casino in Iowa. He manipulated staff to obtain more than $10,000 in improper payouts from roulette, and he also failed to report the income to the IRS.
Benward would attempt to convince the croupier that they had put his chips on the wrong number
To maintain the scheme, he returned to the casino several times, wearing different outfits and rotating tellers. His tactic was to become friendly with employees and try to place wagers slightly late in a round. When the ball came to a rest, Benward would attempt to convince the croupier that they had put his chips on the wrong number. Sometimes, he had an accomplice to back him up.
Benward has a history of cheating at gambling facilities in other states, including Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio. The court has yet to set a sentencing date.
The post Magician Convicted After Seven Years on the Run After Cheating at Casinos appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
