Michael Waseleski voluntarily surrendered to police for his part in the national crime ring that is accused of stealing almost $800k from the former Resorts East Chicago Casino. Waseleski is a former dealer at the casino and is going to have his initial trial hearing today.

The U.S. District Court in Hammond is where the trial will take place and Waseleski faces charges of conspiracy to commit theft from gambling establishments on Indian lands. According to the indictment, Waseleski started in the group in 2002 in California and then hit ten casinos in five states. Many of the casinos were on American Indian reservations.

The group found a way to get the mini-baccarat and blackjack dealers to look like they were shuffling cards when in actuality they were not. This meant that anyone playing the game could keep track of the cards and know the order they would come in and how much they should bet.

Bribes and training then took place with casino dealers, which included Waseleski, so they could begin winning money. Hidden microphones and cell phones were used to relay information so computers could be used to keep track of the cards, making it easier on the players.




- 2009-09-24