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Wed, Feb. 02, 2005

Ex-casino dealer indicted in scam

A grand jury indicted the man and five friends on charges they cheated the Borgata out of $61,000.

By Sam Wood

Philly Inquirer Staff Writer


A former card dealer in Atlantic City who authorities say devised a scam that allowed his friends to swindle the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa out of more than $61,000 was indicted Monday.

Lu T. Tran, 44, who was employed as a mini-baccarat dealer at the Borgata, was indicted by a state grand jury on swindling and cheating at casino games and criminal conspiracy charges.

Tran allegedly devised a "false shuffle" that netted five players who conspired with him at the table about $61,100 in illegal winnings, said John Hagerty, spokesman for the Division of Criminal Justice.

Mini-baccarat is a fast-paced casino game in which cards are dealt to two spots on the gaming table - "player" and "banker." Patrons bet on which spot will get a total closer to nine.

Tran was spotted by casino security cameras not reshuffling all the cards in the eight-deck shoe on three occasions in September 2003, the indictment alleges.

The players waited for the unshuffled cards to be dealt and then increased their bets. They won up to $35,000 at a session before walking away from the table, the indictment states.

Borgata security personnel alerted state police detectives of the suspicious activities at Tran's table. Following additional "eye-in-the-sky" surveillance, Detectives Rick Lindsay and Robert Colbridge arrested Tran, Hagerty said.

Also arrested and indicted in the scheme were Tuan M. Ho, 42, a dealer at the Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino; Tu Anh Ti Tran, 35, and Binh H. Pham, 29, all three of Atlantic City; Hung Luu, 38, of Phoenixville; and Cuong Tu Ngo, 46, of South Philadelphia. Each is charged with swindling and cheating at casino games and criminal conspiracy, Hagerty said.

"This indictment represents the outcome of an extensive and complicated investigation," said State Attorney General Peter C. Harvey. "The charges are significant, and the defendants will face stiff penalties."

If convicted on all charges, Tran, Ho and Ti Tran face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $60,000. Pham, Luu and Ngo face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $30,000, Hagerty said.


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