Two VIP casino hosts at Maryland Live! Casino are facing theft and identity theft charges after allegedly stealing more than $20,000 by fraudulently issuing player rewards cards that were preloaded with free slot play.
The Cordish Cos.-owned property is one of six brick-and-mortar casinos in the state, but the legislature has discussed adding online casinos to its market in the last few legislative sessions.
Two slot players would then gamble using the cards with the hosts, Sonejah Richards, 27, of Forestville, and Allen Hill, 26, of Washington, D.C., allegedly getting a cut of any winnings.
As hosts, Richards and Hill were allowed to create player accounts, issue comps, and offer free slot play. According to investigators, the scheme ultimately led to the pair stealing $27,000.
Authorities believe the scheme was put into motion in February with Richards allegedly loading up 30 cards for the slot players to use. Hill is alleged to have loaded up another 20 cards. The two players who used the cards have not been charged with a crime.
Incident Adds To Casino Crime Streak
There have been quite a few interesting casino-related crimes over the last few months. Two California men were recently arrested for targeting and ambushing more than a dozen winners at Los Angeles casinos. Investigators allege the crooks stole at least $130,000.
In New Jersey, suspected members of the Lucchese crime family and city councilman were arrested in April for running illegal poker games.
The FBI in Michigan is also investigating whether four-time World Series of Poker Circuit winner George Paul Janssen possibly staged his own kidnapping. Janssen was also arrested and is facing fraud charges for allegedly falsifying business documents by listing “fictitious vehicles in multiple loan applications.”
In January, Supreme Court lawyer Tom Goldstein was indicted in a Maryland federal court for tax evasion, falsifying tax returns, failing to pay taxes, and making false statements to two mortgage lenders about high-stakes poker winnings.
The indictment alleged Goldstein concealed his wins and losses and misrepresented expenses. Other allegations include failing to pay $5.3 million in taxes from 2016 to 2021. Golstein’s attorney has denied the charges and says the government rushed to judgment “without understanding all of the important facts.”
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