Four indicted in $1 million Bellagio craps scheme

https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/four-indicted-1-million-bellagio-craps-scheme

or nearly two years, a pair of Bellagio craps dealers and two friends stole more than $1 million off the tables, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The dealers, Mark M. Branco, 42, and James R. Cooper Jr., 43, along with Jeffrey D. Martin, 38, and Anthony G. Granito, 49, were indicted on dozens of counts of cheating at gambling and theft, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney J. P. Raman

 

Wow, pretty brazen stuff.

Also an object lesson in greed. Its a risky venture, but you keep doing it after 2 years? When do you decide its enough?

 

It's interesting that the scheme was never uncovered by anyone in the casino's supervision or surveillance staff. It was instead revealed by a co-worker.

 

Sounds like the key was low limits and specific conditions.

I can't imagine trying to track craps action and payouts pro-actively from an eye in the sky.

You would think they'd keep some sort of stats on crews though, and notice if one crew had a long term trend of lower than expected revenue.

 

Interesting. Will be curious if they post pics of the dealers to see if I recognize them

 

Very interesting.....some people don't use their right head when making decisions....

 

I think this would make it more noticeable. These guys had to cash wins of over 1000 a day every day for 2 years, How did no one notice? Seems like more than just two dealers had to have been involved.

I too would like to see phots of the dealers to see if I recognize them. Most of my play over the last few years has moved to Aria, but I usually play at least one session a trip at the B.

 

A 1k win at Bellagio would not be conspicuous. I am assuming they did not have players cards, thus their wins would not be tracked.

That means the casino needs to pattern match based on surveillance to find them. And again 1k may be a low bar for that high tech-ery. And that is assuming these guys just walked daily to the cage.

 

Yeah chaos is a friend. But I'll never forget the phone call the poker room received from surveillance telling a dealer to repay a player $1 for an incorrect BBJ drop. Everyone was in shock, and the dealer was nervous as hell for a few hands.

 

Wow but so time-consuming. I guess they were seen together one time too many.

 

Basically they were paying winning verbal wagers but not collecting losing ones....the dealers presumably pretended not to hear those that lost. Since there is no recording of audio on casino floors, this probably would have gone nowhere had someone in their group not testified against the others. The first time I ever lost a verbal bet, I didn't even know that I had placed it (dealer asked me a question I didn't even hear as the dice were being rolled, I said "sure," then he asked me for chips because I lost my non-existent bet and told me I would have been paid if I won), so I definitely see the potential for abuse the other way. Verbal bets shouldn't be allowed, certainly not without audio surveillance (which would violate eavesdropping laws).

 

I was playing at ballys Sunday and was doing pretty well so I started playing some center bets. I was first person stick left and I put a quarter on horn high twelve - shooter rolled a 6 then a 3.

After the 3 I looked down and saw my quarter still there and the stick started to pay me so I whispered to her it was down the roll before

She whispered thanks and we moved on with no fuss

As soon as she took her next break the pit boss walked over and thanked me for being honest - I was pretty impressed they caught that - it was a crowded table and things were moving pretty fast

 

Great Point. Surprised drunk, slurred, verbal bets have not been hotly contested before.

 

Picture of one of the players

In case anyone is interested...found this article with a booking photo of "friend" Anthony G. Granito

http://www.theprovince.com/business/exdealers+friends+accused+stealing+million+from+vegas+casino/11406266/story.html

 

Remind me of the incident that one dealer stab other dealers in Bellagio. Seems like the dealers there are hostile to each other

 

Don't recognize the player. I'm sure more will be forthcoming soon

 

I'd rather win my 1M the old fashioned way.

I'm allergic to bars.

 

Just about every table I have played on has in bold letters no call bets. Not that I have ever seen that adhered to though lol.. Crazy stuff.

 

I was playing craps at Foxwoods one time and a dealer forgot to take down my $50 hard six bet after it came up soft. The pair of 3's came up the very next roll. I saw nothing.

 

Two years?
There has got to be some crews that did actually quit hustling and we never heard of them.