The following examples of financial investigations in the Gaming Industry are written from public record documents on file in the court records in the judicial district in which the cases were prosecuted.

Husband and Wife Sentenced for Their Roles in Pennsylvania Gambling Organization

On August 27, 2009, in Pittsburgh, Pa., Allan Richard Campbell, aka Mike, and his wife, Carol Campbell, were sentenced in connection with their respective roles on charges of a federal gambling conspiracy, tax, and money laundering. Allan Campbell was sentenced to 17 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, as well as forfeit approximately $333,000 in cash and U.S. Savings Bonds, nine vehicles, and three firearms. Carol Campbell was sentenced to 24 months probation. According to information presented in court, from in or around 2002 and continuing until on or about July 1, 2006, Allan and Carol Campbell conspired with others to conduct an illegal gambling operation in the Washington County, Pennsylvania, area. The organization's gambling operation involved, among other things, sports betting, numbers betting, and an illegal ticket drawing game.  Additionally, on or about February 16, 2005, Allan Campbell laundered profits from the illegal gambling activity in connection with the purchase of a 2004 Chevrolet Super Sport Roadster truck.  Also, on or about April 15, 2006, Allan Campbell filed a false tax return for calendar year 2005 by falsely reporting taxable income as zero dollars, thereby failing to report taxable income generated from the illegal gambling operation. Finally, on or about July 1, 2006, Allan Campbell, a convicted felon, possessed three firearms in his residence, all of which were discovered during the execution of federal search warrants.  In total, sixteen members of the gambling organization were prosecuted in connection with this investigation. 

Four Members of Criminal Enterprise Sentenced for Cheating Casinos in the United States and Canada

On July 13, 2009, in San Diego, Calif., George Michael Lee, Duc Cong Nguyen, Hop Nguyen, and Tien Duc Vu were sentenced for their roles in a scheme by the “Tran Organization” to cheat casinos across the United States and Canada.  Duc Cong Nguyen and Vu admitted that they and their co-conspirators unlawfully obtained up to $2.5 million during card cheats. According to the Indictment, Lee, Vu and 12 others were charged with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise; conspiracy to commit several offenses against the United States, including conspiracy to steal money and other property from Indian tribal casinos; and conspiracy to commit money laundering.  Lee was sentenced to 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,208,019 in restitution payable to several casinos, as well as to forfeit $731,645.  Duc Cong Nguyen was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $945,055 in restitution payable to several casinos. Vu was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  The court also ordered forfeiture of $53,500; and ordered $2,164,632 in restitution payable to several casinos.  Hop Nguyen, who waived indictment and pleaded guilty on January 27, 2009, to filing a false income tax return, was sentenced to one year of supervised release.  The court also ordered restitution in the amount of $131,238, payable to several casinos. The Indictment also allege that the members of the organization used sophisticated mechanisms for tracking the order of cards during games, including hidden transmitter devices and specially created software that would predict the order in which cards would reappear during blackjack games. To date, 29 defendants have pleaded guilty to charges relating to the casino-cheating conspiracy.

"Chicago Outfit" Bag Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison

On December 2, 2008, in Chicago, Ill., Thomas Johnson was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and conducting an illegal gambling business.  Johnson was among the 14 "Family Secrets" defendants indicted in April 2005.  Johnson's employer was "M&M Amusements," a large-scale illegal gambling business operating for the benefit of the "Chicago Outfit."  Johnson pleaded guilty to the charges in June 2007 and admitted to rigging video poker machines so they could be used for actual wagering in dozens of bars and clubs.  According to court documents, Johnson also worked as the gambling operation's bookkeeper, maintaining two sets of weekly reports to record the proceeds from the gambling machines.  Johnson would record the true amount of income retrieved from the machines, and split this figure with the bar owners as agreed.  He then created another set of records which falsely recorded a lower amount of income generated by the machines, namely 50% of the actual income generated.  It was estimated that Johnson's false income reporting caused a tax loss of approximately $1,686,000.

Fiscal Year 2008 - Examples of Gaming Fraud Investigations

Fiscal Year 2010 - Examples of Gaming Fraud Investigations

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