Twentieth Member of Casino-cheating Criminal Enterprise Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy Targeting Casinos in the United States and Canada
Phat Ngoc Tran, 35, pleaded guilty today in San Diego to conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise, the Tran Organization, in a scheme to cheat at least 12 casinos across the United States and Canada out of millions of dollars. Tran admitted that he and his co-conspirators unlawfully obtained up to $2.5 million during card cheats.
WASHINGTON – Phat Ngoc Tran, 35, pleaded guilty today in San Diego to conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise, the "Tran Organization," in a scheme to cheat at least 12 casinos across the United States and Canada out of millions of dollars, Acting Assistant Attorney General Rita M. Glavin of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Karen P. Hewitt for the Southern District of California announced today. Tran admitted that he and his co-conspirators unlawfully obtained up to $2.5 million during card cheats. A three-count indictment was returned May 22, 2007, and unsealed in the Southern District of California on May 24, 2007, charging Tran and 13 others each 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. The indictment also charged five separate individuals each with 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. In his plea agreement, Tran admitted that on numerous occasions between approximately October 2002 and July 2006, he participated in gambling cheats together with other alleged members of the Tran Organization at casinos in the United States and Canada. Tran admitted to targeting at least 12 casinos in the racketeering conspiracy, including: Beau Rivage Casino, in Biloxi, Miss.; Casino Rama, in Orillia, Ontario, Canada; Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Conn.; Gold Strike Casino in Tunica, Miss.; Horseshoe Casino, in Bossier City, La.; Horseshoe Casino and Hotel, in Tunica, Miss.; Isle of Capri Casino, in Westlake, La.; Majestic Star Casino, in Gary, Ind.; Mohegan Sun Resort Casino, in Uncasville, Conn.; Palace Station Casino, in Las Vegas, Nev.; Resorts East Chicago Hotel and Casino, in East Chicago, Ind.; and Sycuan Casino, in El Cajon, Calif. According to the indictment, the defendants and others executed a "false shuffle" cheating scheme at casinos in the United States and Canada during blackjack and mini-baccarat games. The indictment alleges that members of the criminal organization bribed casino card dealers and supervisors to perform false shuffles during card games, thereby creating "slugs" or groups, of un-shuffled cards. The indictment also alleges that after tracking the order of cards dealt in a card game, a member of the organization would signal to the card dealer to perform a "false shuffle," and members of the group would then bet on the known order of cards when the slug appeared on the table. By doing so, members of the conspiracy repeatedly won thousands of dollars during card games, including winning up to $868,000 on one occasion. The indictment also alleges that the members of the organization used sophisticated mechanisms for tracking the order of cards during games, including hidden transmitter devices and specially created software that would predict the order in which cards would reappear during mini-baccarat and blackjack games. An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Tran’s sentencing is scheduled for June 1, 2009, in San Diego before U.S. District Judge John A. Houston. At sentencing, Tran faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the racketeering conspiracy charge. Tran agreed to a personal money judgment in the amount of $180,000, which will be entered by way of a preliminary order of forfeiture. He also acknowledged that the restitution that he may be ordered to pay by the court at sentencing is not limited by the forfeiture amount. Tran was also charged in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, for his a