Couple Cheats California Casino out of $500K

A casino in Livermore, California, 580 Casino in Livermore, California, has been cheated out of more than $500K by a couple — one of whom was a dealer at the casino.

Eric Nguyen and Khan ‘Trina’ Tran operated this scheme from 2015 and 2017, and their process went as such:

• Dealer Tran would look at the upcoming baccarat cards,
  

  A baccarat table.

• Tran would change tables and tell her husband,
• Nguyen would place a large bet at the table Tran just moved from and inevitably win big.

Nguyen and Tran were arrested on May 6, 2020, with authorities taking three years to apprehend the couple. They were sentenced to 240 days in jail and two-year supervised probation and must cover the $507,600 in losses.

Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office has been honing in on cheating scams over the past few months.

“Breaking the law is never the right way to get ahead…We will not tolerate criminal activity in our state. Today’s announcement holds accountable Nguyen and Tran and sends a message that cheating in California will not lead to success,” says Bonta.

Bonta’s Office Cracks Down  

This isn’t the only scam Bonta’s office has been invested in recent months.
Canadian company Pong Game Studios Corp was accused of running illegal gambling operations in the state, with Bonta ruling guilty for the company in a lawsuit that lasted nearly a decade.

Pong Studios accepted the verdict, and the company will pay $3.5 million in penalties issued by Bonta’s office to cover various fees as well as penalties.

Regarding the judgment against Pong, Bonta says, “Today’s judgment puts a halt to these unlawful activities. It protects consumers and it protects the safety of our communities. I’m grateful to our task force partners across the state for their work in securing this important win. Together, we can continue to dismantle illegal gambling operations and make a difference for the people of our state.”