Organized Crime Head Sentenced for Cheating 27 Casinos out of $7 Million

By: Livia Sappington

Sounds like a movie; the “Tran Organization” headed by Phuong Quoc Truong cheats 27 casinos out of $7 million.

At least 37 others conspired in a “false shuffle” cheating scheme at casinos in the United States and Canada to bribe casino card dealers and supervisors to perform the false shuffles during blackjack and mini-baccarat games. The group repeatedly won thousands of dollars with the scheme, which involved signaling the card dealer to perform the “false shuffle” after tracking the order of cards dealt in a card game, therefore creating “slugs” or groups of un-shuffled cards. Apparently the members of the organization used sophisticated mechanisms for tracking the order of cards during games that would predict the order in which cards would reappear during blackjack games.

Except this was not a movie; in real life, unlike in an “Ocean’s Eleven” type Hollywood production, scammers eventually get caught, as Mr. Truong and company did.

Truong pleaded guilty on April 2, 2008 to conspiracy to participate in the affairs of a racketeering enterprise after a three-count indictment was returned on May 22, 2007 charging him and others with one count of conspiracy to participate in the affairs of a racketeering enterprise; one count of conspiracy to commit several offenses against the United States, including conspiracy to steal money and other property from Indian tribal casinos; and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

On Monday, March 15, 2010, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breauer of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Karen P. Hewitt for the Southern District of California announced that Phuong Quoc Truong was sentenced in San Diego for his role in the scheme by the “Tran Organization”. 19 other defendants were charged in 2008 and 2009. They are presumed innocent under the law until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. To date, 37 defendants pleaded guilty.

Truong was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge John A. Houston. He was also ordered to forfeit $2,791,146 and to pay $5,753,416 in restitution payable to several casinos. He also was stripped of various assets, such as two houses in the San Diego area, two properties in Vietnam, a 2001 Porsche, a Rolex watch, and a diamond pendant.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

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