A Bethlehem man has been accused of running a video gambling voucher scam, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office. The alleged scam involved the man fraudulently obtaining and cashing in vouchers from video gambling machines at a local casino.
The man, identified as 42-year-old John Smith, is facing multiple charges including theft by deception, forgery, and unlawful use of a computer. According to the Attorney General’s office, Smith would allegedly go to the casino and play video gambling machines, then somehow manipulate the machines to generate vouchers that were worth more than his actual winnings. He would then allegedly cash in these vouchers at the casino’s cashier cage, pocketing the extra money.
The scam reportedly went on for several months before casino staff became suspicious and contacted authorities. The Attorney General’s office launched an investigation, which led to Smith’s arrest last week.
Authorities say that Smith’s alleged scam could have cost the casino thousands of dollars in losses. It is unclear how many vouchers Smith is accused of fraudulently obtaining and cashing in.
“This type of fraudulent activity is a serious crime that can have a significant impact on businesses and consumers alike,” said Attorney General John Doe in a statement. “We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals who engage in this type of criminal behavior.”
Smith is currently being held in custody pending a bail hearing. It is unclear if he has retained an attorney.
The casino has not commented on the incident, but a spokesperson for the establishment said that they take any allegations of fraud very seriously and are cooperating with the authorities in their investigation.
The case serves as a reminder for businesses to remain vigilant against potential scams and to report any suspicious activity to authorities. The Attorney General’s office is urging anyone with information about this case or similar scams to come forward.
