Casino news source: Niagara Falls Review - http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca
Casino cheat claims he hit Niagara venues for $100,000
Gaming Commission investigating man's allegations
ALISON LANGLEY
Local News - Tuesday, June 12, 2007 Updated @ 6:31:26 AM
The self-proclaimed "world's greatest casino cheater" says he pocketed more than $100,000 from Niagara's two casinos.
Richard Marcus also claims he was a regular winner at other Canadian casinos, including up to $60,000 a night at Casino Windsor.
Recent comments he made to the media about an international casino fraud ring that targeted Casino Rama has caught the attention of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
"He did quite a bit of bragging about all the cheating he has done over the years and never got caught," said AGCO spokesman Ab Campion.
The government agency has now launched an investigation to determine if Marcus's claims are genuine.
Officials at Niagara's casinos would not comment on Marcus's claims involving Casino Niagara and Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort, referring media inquiries to the AGCO.
Marcus, 50, told the Windsor Star he cheated at Casino Windsor at least 15 times in the 1990s.
"If we get substantial evidence we can still charge him under the Criminal Code for cheat at play. There is no statute of limitations," Campion said.
Marcus talks freely about his life of crime, without fear of prosecution.
"They will find no evidence linking me to any crimes," he insists.
Marcus "retired" from the business a few years ago and now lives in the south of France.
"I retired because I got tired, rich and wanted to write books," he told The Review.
He said the suspects arrested for cheating last month used a con he developed and ran successfully across North America.
The plot involved recruiting casino dealers to fix the outcomes of card games such as baccarat by using a sleight of hand technique known as a false shuffle.
The four-year investigation netted police 15 suspects from both sides of the border, including several Casino Rama employees.
"The reason they got caught is they involved too many people and were too greedy," Marcus said.
The OPP has estimated the loss to Casino Rama at more than $2 million. alangley@nfreview.com |
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