Four Russian Nationals Indicted for Slot Machine Fraud

9 years ago
Four Russian Nationals Indicted for Slot Machine Fraud
17:22
12 Dec

Thirty-six-year-old Murat Bliev, 38-year-old Yevgeniy Nazarov, 28-year-old Igor Lavrenov and 32-year-old Ivan Gudalov were charged on Wednesday with travelling from Russia to the United States to cheat at slot machines at casinos in three states.

They cheated in over 10 casinos using smart phones and other electronic devices that allowed them to predict the behavior of a slot machine game known as Aristocrat Mark VI. The defendants organized multiple trips from Russia to the United States, using rental cars to travel to casinos in Illinois, California and Missouri. Their winnings were so high that no one who played fair could possibly win that much on the slot machines. It is believed that the Russians have been running the scam since May.

Authorities claim that Bliev, Lavrenov and Gudalov are situated in Moscow, while Nazarov is a U.S. citizen. According to Richard Callahan, Eastern Missouri's U.S. attorney, their winnings were in the six or seven figure regions and he described their method of cheating as very sophisticated.

If convicted, each count of the indictment carries a maximumpenalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges." http://www.fbi.gov/;

Since the very moment casinos were born, there have been some who have tried to profit by bending the rules or outright cheating. Numerous cheaters were able to sometimes win absurd amounts of money. Some were caught, while others were able to get away with certain scams.

Cheating techniques differ, from planting chips after bets are made and marking cards, to using sophisticated electronic devices and programs to gain an upper hand. The most famous slot machine cheater is Dennis Nikrascsh, who is believed to have made in excess of $15 million. He would visit casinos and his crew would cover him from the watchful eyes of video surveillance and casino personnel. He would then proceed to somehow open the machines without leaving a trace and insert a microchip in so the machine paid a jackpot on the next spin. He was caught, but remains one of the greatest slot machine cheaters to date.

Today, casinos have become much smarter and have implemented high security measures, making it much more difficult to cheat and get away with it.


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Ines is a Journalism student with many interests, poker being one of these. Her passion to learn and develop her horizons make her a valuable contributor to the site's content.Read more

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