Pennsylvania state police recently arrested two Rivers Casino employees for their alleged involvement in running a cheat-at-play scheme through a roulette table.
Described by authorities as a “complex cheating conspiracy,” the duo of table games dealer Robin Schnepp, and supervisor Anthony Laush stand accused of helping at least two players cheat on multiple occasions and win thousands of dollars.
According to state police, the Pennsylvania casino lost over $10,000 as a result of the racket.
Investigators first received word of the scheme earlier this year in a letter from an anonymous source. The note supposedly expressed concerns over irregularities with the Pittsburgh casino’s Interblock Roulette game. More recently, a Rivers Casino regular also acknowledged peculiarities with this particular brand of roulette in a March 15 interview with local outfit WPXI.
The patron, who wished to remain anonymous, recalled seeing glitches more than once in the past year, specifically a delay involving the digital numbers.
Flaws in rulebook made Interblock Roulette prime target
Interblock Roulette, which presents as a modern take on the traditional game of chance, comes equipped with an odd rulebook. Here, the dealer spins the ball manually in the opposite direction of the wheel. However, if a manual spin does not occur, there is no sensor to detect that the wheel has been spun. This flaw allows players to keep placing bets, even after the ball lands on a number and the outcome is already final.
Aware of this quirk, Schnepp and Laush allegedly pounced on the opportunity to manipulate the system for profit. According to law enforcement, surveillance video showed Schnepp spinning the roulette ball incorrectly on more than one occasion, followed by a man and woman increasing their bets once the ball landed.
Laush would then validate the spins, allowing the patrons to each collect more than $2,000 in illicit winnings. The aforementioned Laush also faces punishment for allegedly loading fraudulent comps onto the account of the same man from the table.
The now former Rivers casino employees are scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on April 2. Whether the two patrons will also face charges for their supposed involvement remains unclear.
Roulette rouse the second incident at Rivers Casino in three months
Unfortunately for customers of Rivers Casino Pittsburgh, the gambling facility has been in the spotlight lately. And, for all the wrong reasons.
The Schnepp-Laush roulette rouse marked the second bit of trouble to hit the casino since last December. Back then, surveillance footage captured a former Player Services Manager swiping $20,000 in cash from the cashier’s cage. The accused, Yancy Yeater, did not enjoy much freedom, however. Police arrested the disgruntled employee on Dec. 24, one day after the casino reported the theft to police.
Instead of completing his shift, Yeater found himself in Alleghany County jail facing felony theft charges.
