A Las Vegas convict faces charges of kidnapping an underage girl and forcing her into prostitution by threatening her with a gun. The girl was eventually able to return to her mother and provided the police with details about her kidnapper, Corey Canton.

According to the official report, on December 1, the police responded to a report filed by the girl’s mother in which the latter claimed that her daughter had been the victim of sex trafficking. As it turns out, the girl had, for unspecified reasons, run away from her family, which was staying in a hotel in Las Vegas.

While walking on the Las Vegas Strip, the girl met another female juvenile who asked her if she’d like to make a “quick buck.” While the eventual victim did not know what that meant, she went along with the other girl.

The Girl Became the Victim of Sex Trafficking

The two of them ended up in the Days Inn motel and met with Canton, who was the second girl’s boyfriend, the report says. Canton compelled the first girl to sleep with him and allegedly prevented her from leaving afterward by threatening her with a gun.

The two girls later went to the Luxor where they were paid $100 to sleep with a man they did not know. According to the police, Canton’s girlfriend stole $1,000 from that man’s pants.

On November 29, Canton had the two girls walk onto the Las Vegas Strip and offer sex services to men. According to the police, the criminal told them to charge $100 to $300 for the act. The next morning they returned to the motel room and were provided with some food, liquor and drugs before returning to the Strip.

In the end, the girl who had run away from her family was able to leave the motel room and reunite with her mother. The mother then contacted the police, prompting the investigation.

Canton Faces Seven Charges

The police raided Canton’s motel room and found the handgun the girl had mentioned. As it turns out, Canton was a convicted felon already and was prohibited from owning a firearm. Canton himself was later found in his residence in the 6100 block of Carmen Boulevard and taken into custody.

He now faces a number of charges, including two counts of sex trafficking of a minor, assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of kidnapping of a minor and owning a gun by a prohibited person.

Canton is held in jail on a $25,000 bail as of the time of this writing. He is set to appear before court on Monday.

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Prosecutors at the Van Buren County Prosecutor’s Office have dropped the embezzlement charge brought against Danika Young, a cash cage supervisor at Four Winds Hartford Casino.

The 38-year-old long-time employee allegedly stole $700,000 from the casino vault on July 30 and exited the gambling facility after she received an ominous phone call from a person who told her to take the money to someone in Gary, Indiana. 

Young Could Have Faced 20 Years in Prison 

Provided Van Buren prosecutors would not have decided to drop the embezzlement charge, Young could have been incarcerated for up to 20 years for the serious felony.

While the reasons behind their decision have not been disclosed as of yet, the employee’s criminal defense attorney, Caleb Grimes, said his client felt thrilled and at the same time “extremely vindicated” since she had claimed her innocence from the beginning of the investigation. 

Young, who had been a loyal employee of the casino for more than a decade and a half, was a mother, and also had deep roots in the area through her network of relatives in the local community, claimed her compliance was precipitated by what she thought was a directive from the venue’s higher management.

Possible Foul Play via AI

One potential theory that could explain the incident is the use of artificial intelligence as part of a scheme to manipulate and manufacture the voice of someone part of the casino’s executive team who allegedly made the call from inside the casino, according to records from Michigan TV station WOOD.

These types of complex plots are usually met in high-stakes casino dramas, making them extremely difficult to prevent and spot even by the most loyal and trusted employees.

Four Winds Hartford Casino is located in Hartford, Michigan, approximately 80 miles away from Grand Rapids. The property is one of the four venues considered regional entertainment pillars that are owned and operated by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. 

The Nude Visitor at Oklahoma’s First Council Casino

Earlier in the week, Norman Rhodes, the man who entered Oklahoma’s First Council Casino wearing no pants and undergarments and jumped on top of a security desk at the casino hotel pleaded guilty to the charge of outraging public decency, according to data from Oklahoma TV station KOKH.

At the time when the police arrived, he was wearing a towel on his head and a ripped shirt and had on a towel, explaining his lack of proper clothing as a consequence of being hot.

Rhodes will undergo a mental health checkup, pay court costs, and do 60 hours of community service. Provided he will complete the probation, he will not spend any time in jail. 

The Extortion Attempt at Harvey’s Resort Hotel and Casino

Another shocking incident took place in 1980 at the border between Nevada and California, at Harvey’s Resort Hotel and Casino. This massive complex was targeted by former WWII veteran John Birges who lost $750,000 there and decided to seek revenge. 

Birges managed to leave a bomb in the building and send a letter to casino management asking for $3 million in exchange for the bomb not to be blown up.

The FBI’s anti-bomb squad that arrived at the premises soon discovered it was almost impossible to safely defuse the bomb as the criminal had explained they would not receive instruction on how to flip some of the switches until the money reached him.

The casino refused to pay the $3 million and the FBI proceeded to try to defuse the bomb, which in turn caused a massive explosion that caused enormous damage on all floors. Birges was arrested and sent to prison for life. 

The Student Who Tried to Steal $30,000 From a Casino

In October, a 22-year-old student from Greenwich, London who tried to steal $30,000 from Grosvenor Casino admitted to fraud by false representation. 

Samuel Bob-Emmanuel was asked to undergo 25 days of rehabilitation and was sentenced to a 12-month community order by the Birmingham Crown Court, while also facing 150 hours of unpaid work. 

The crime took place on March 1, when Bob-Emmanuel used a PIN code belonging to a supervisor at Grosvenor Casino to attempt to transfer the casino’s money to his account. 

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Earlier this month, law enforcement was dispatched to Robinsonville, Mississippi, after a shooting incident resulted in a car crash. The crime had taken place near a casino on Casino Center Drive and Tunica County Sheriff’s Office immediately started to investigate the shooting that resulted in the death of three individuals. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the shooting and subsequent accident have taken the lives of one 25-year-old from Robinsonville resident identified with the initials T.T.M., as well as a 23-year-old of Dundee identified with the initials S.D.B. The shooting and accident claimed the life of a 24-year-old Tunica resident with the initials D.M.I.

Last week, law enforcement confirmed that the 23-year-old was the driver of the vehicle who sustained multiple gunshot wounds. On the other hand, the 24-year-old who was killed wasn’t shot but died due to trauma caused by the vehicle crash. Finally, police confirmed that the 25-year-old woman who was also in the car was shot multiple times. She happened to be pregnant with an unborn child.

Upon announcing details regarding the ruthless crime, the Tunica County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that it will seek punishment for Capitol murder. The described incident dates back to November 10, 2023, law enforcement confirmed.

Homicide Suspect Faces Three Counts of Capital Murder

In a Wednesday update, the Tunica County Sheriff’s Office announced it charged a person with the initials D.C.T., 18, suspected of the triple homicide that has taken place near the casino in Robinsonville. According to a statement by law enforcement, the suspect is currently being held without bond.

Charges against the alleged murderer include three counts of Capital murder, four counts of Shooting into a Motor Vehicle, as well as four counts of Conspiracy to Commit a crime. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the triple homicide case investigation is still ongoing. Moreover, police confirmed that they anticipate marking more related arrests. The Sheriff’s Office encouraged anyone who has information regarding the triple homicide to contact it or reach CrimeStoppers.

Under Mississippi Code Section 97-3-19(1) & (2)(j), Capital murder is subject to a penalty of life imprisonment or the death penalty. Currently, it is unclear whether the 18-year-old alleged murderer had any accomplices for the crime that has taken the lives of three people.

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In February, Jose Rivera from Altadena, California sued Edwin Castro, the winner of the massive $2.08 billion Powerball prize, claiming that he was not the rightful owner of the winning ticket. 

One week after Castro went into the spotlight with bells and whistles and claimed the mouth-watering prize on February 15, Rivera made the surprising announcement, claiming that it was actually he, and not Castro, who purchased the very lucky ticket from Joe’s Service Center on November 7, 2022.

Now, according to information from the City of Pasadena’s public information officer, Lisa Derderian, reported by The US Sun, investigators seem to suspect that Rivera had lied regarding the stolen ticket. 

Rivera Claims His Ex-Landlord Stole the Ticket From Him

In February, Rivera claimed that the ticket that he allegedly bought from the service center owned by Joe Chahayed was stolen from him by his ex-landlord, Urachi F. “Reggie” Romero, one day prior to the bin draw.

During an interview with The New York Post in May, Romero said he believed Rivera was the actual owner of the winning ticket. He remembered Rivera’s explanations regarding each of the numbers that he picked on the ticket: 10, 33, 41, 47, 56, and red Powerball 10.

Romero recalled asking Rivera about the reason why he selected two 10s, and receiving the explanation that the 10th represented the date when both of his parents had passed away. 

Rivera also told Romero that he had chosen the number 47 because it represented his age. The number 56 was chosen as a means of celebrating his father’s love for 1956 Chevy trucks. 

Romero concluded that Rivera seemed to have a reason behind every marked number on the ticket. The said conversation took place prior to the draw, according to Rivera’s former landlord. 

Nonetheless, Romero denied having taken the winning ticket from Rivera. He also denied having any sort of connection to Castro, adding that he was not aware of how the ticket had reached Castro.

The Formal Police Investigation, Relaunched in June

At the time of the draw, California Lottery expressed their confidence in Castro being the rightful winner of the huge prize while explaining they were not “authorized” to investigate any type of criminal activity among their players.

After it originally shut down the initial investigation into the complicated matter, the Pasadena Police Department announced it would relaunch a formal investigation in June. 

They also mentioned a close collaboration with investigators representing the California Lottery.

According to reports from Derderian, the Pasadena police department has now sent the documentation to the City Prosecutor “for potential misdemeanor charges” regarding a potentially false police report filed by Rivera. 

In the meanwhile, Castro, who has constantly denied all of Rivera’s allegations through the voice of his lawyers, has been busy spending his money on luxury property in Los Angeles, including a $47 million seven-bedroom mansion with an infinity pool in Bel Air, overlooking downtown L.A.

Castro’s lawyer, David De Paoli, explained that “at some point”, it will become clear to everyone his client is the rightful owner of the winning Powerball ticket. 

Earlier this month, another very lucky Powerball player from California hit the massive $1.76 billion jackpot. The news triggered some online users to raise questions regarding the credibility of Powerball wins, since, according to Powerball data, four of the top five biggest jackpots were won in The Golden State. 

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A businessman from Kent was accused of running illegal gambling operations in Florida. The man, who had allegedly operated an illegal slot machine business, has now pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The defendant, Timothy Surgen, is a 57-year-old man who, according to multiple charges, leveraged his company, Surgen Enterprises, to operate slot machines. His alleged violations have been outlined in over a hundred charges, claiming that he offered slots at the Black Beards Super Game Room, Games N More and Treasure Island Arcade properties.

For reference, Florida’s laws prohibit slot machines that pay out cash.

In addition to possessing slot machines and running illegal gambling operations, Surgen faces charges for money laundering.

Plaintiffs Allege Surgen Operated Illegal Gambling and Laundered Money

Surgen Enterprises was founded in Ohio in 2012. The company launched in Florida in 2018, where its owner filed it as a foreign limited liability company based of out Ohio.

In 2019, Surgen applied for a new business application, allowing him to establish Treasure Island Arcade, one of the venues where he offered illegal slots. The venue was officially listed as an arcade business offering 50 machines and overseen by three employees.

Games N More, one of the other venues in question, was launched in 2022 and was listed as a 20-machine arcade with four employees. Black Beards Super Game Room was founded that same year and was listed as an arcade with 25 machines and four employees. These two properties were notably founded by a former Surgen employee.

Between November 2022 and September 2023, investigators probed into Games N More and Treasure Island Arcade. Undercover agents spotted armed guards and learned that the venues offered multiple cash slots. To confirm that the machines were illegal, the agents tried to exchange cashout tickets for money and gift cards – a practice forbidden in Florida.

Surgen, who has now pleaded not guilty to running illegal gambling operations, is believed to have generated more than $304,000 of illegal money.

Surgen faces further charges.

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In September, the gambling regulator in Victoria, Australia, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC), issued 35 charges against the operator of the Tower Hotel in Hawthorn East, Rumotel Pty Ltd, over alleged failures to implement YourPlay, a mandatory pre-commitment technology, on their electronic gaming machines and kiosks. At the time, the regulator alleged that the operator also failed to ensure compulsory training for its employees.

Now, the VGCCC hit Rumotel with additional charges, alleging breaches related to responsible gambling. On Thursday, the gambling regulator revealed that the operator is facing an additional three new charges, claiming it breached the Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct. This happened after allegedly Rumotel failed to ensure a Responsible Gambling Officer was present at all times on the gaming floor.

According to the Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct, part of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003, currently in effect in the state, operators that fail to ensure the presence of a Responsible Gambling Officer breach their license conditions. Moreover, the VGCCC alleged that the operator failed to maintain a Responsible Gambling Register.

Gambling operators in Victoria are required to have a Responsible Gambling Officer present at all times during operating hours. Such officers intervene whenever patrons show signs of excessive gambling or distress. Whenever such incidents happen, they must be recorded in a dedicated Register, something Rumotel failed to implement, as announced by the VGCCC.

The Regulator Continues to Monitor Compliance of the Gambling Operators

Annette Kimmitt, VGCCC’s CEO, revealed that there are strict rules in effect for gambling operators. Those rules, similar to the ones in other sectors, seek to protect the well-being of casino visitors and protect players from harm. “The VGCCC will continue to pursue venues that deliberately fail to apply their responsible gambling code of conducts in full,” explained Kimmitt in conclusion.

“Just as you wouldn’t operate a public swimming pool without a lifeguard, venues are required to continuously monitor their gaming floors and intervene whenever the welfare of players is at risk.“

Annette Kimmitt, CEO at VGCCC

In light of the additional three charges, the VGCCC said that a fine of AU$1,386,900 ($880,600) may be implemented. Considering the previously described 35 additional alleged breaches, the total for the 38 charges may result in a fine of AU$2,145,072 ($1.36 million).

Last month, the VGCCC hit eight gambling operators, alleging underage gambling. One of the gambling companies impacted at the time was Tabcorp. At the time of the announcement, Kimmitt said that it is an obligation of the gambling operators to stop underage individuals from accessing their venues.

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Jordan Lewis Cook, a former Gun Lake Casino employee responsible for maintaining and unclogging the casino’s cash-out machines, has confessed to stealing over $84,500 in cash over a span of 14 months. 

The Casino Worker to Return $84,564 Stolen from Indian Tribal Organization

The federal charge against Cook is for theft from an Indian Tribal Organization, which carries a potential punishment of up to five years in prison and a hefty fine of $250,000. Cook is scheduled to be sentenced in January.

The series of thefts occurred between September 2021 and November 2022 at the popular Allegan County casino operated by the Gun Lake Tribe. Cook’s responsibilities included helping clear jams in the cash-out machines located in and around the casino floor. To perform this task, he used a key card to open the machines, removed the cassettes holding currency in various denominations, and addressed any misfed or crinkled bills. Shockingly, he would also pilfer cash from the machines during this process, as revealed in the ‘factual basis of guilt’ contained in the plea agreement.

Cook admitted to stealing various denominations of cash on at least 32 separate occasions, resulting in a staggering total of $84,564, which he then converted for personal use.

The federal theft charge against Cook was initially indicted in March. Following his arraignment in May and his release on $10,000 bail, Cook and his legal team opted for a plea agreement, ultimately admitting his guilt in late August. The plea deal stipulates that Cook must make full restitution of the stolen money to Gun Lake Casino. 

Another Michigan Casino Worker Faces Million-Dollar Bail in $700,000 Embezzlement Case

Another similar case in the state saw Danika Young, a 38-year-old cash cage supervisor at the Four Winds Hartford Casino in Michigan, accused of embezzling $700,000. She was arrested and her bail was set at $1 million.

Young claimed she received a call instructing her to take the money to Indiana, but the funds remain unrecovered. She faced charges related to embezzlement and could potentially serve up to 20 years in prison if sentenced. Judge Arthur Clarke expressed concern about the missing money and set a high bail to prevent Young from disappearing.

At the same time in neighboring Minnesota, Blake Carl Fitzgerald faced potential prison time for operating an illegal gambling scheme on TikTok and Discord. Over three months, he allegedly received $65,103 from customers through CashApp and Venmo, then live-streamed himself playing slot games at casinos, with subscribers choosing the machines.

Fitzgerald kept more than half of the winnings and charged subscribers $5.99, communicating with them on Discord. He now faces three counts of running an illegal gambling operation, which could result in up to three years in prison and significant fines.

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Four Californians were arrested during the raid of an illegal casino in Oakland. All of the arrestees were armed with illegal weapons, with one of them likely serving as a lookout. As a result of their possession of illegal firearms, the culprits now face gun-related charges.

The raid was carried out on July 5 after the police suspected an illegal gambling operation in a residence in the city. One of the men, was reportedly loitering in front of the property, likely serving as a lookout for the illegal operation.

During the raid, the police arrested four people, all of them aged 19 to 23. In addition to the arrests, the police seized gambling equipment, slot machines, ledgers and an undisclosed sum in cash. More concerningly, the police seized a number of firearms including three guns – two pistols and one assault rifle – and a bunch of magazines.

Despite discovering only three weapons on site, the police observed all of the arrestees prior to the raid and saw all of them carrying a gun at one moment or another. The police also linked one of the men to the possession of a gun through a DNA test.

All of the weapons were illegally owned and, as a result, the culprits now face charges of illegal gun possession and illegal firearm activity.

Once an Illegal Operation Is Stopped, Another Appears

In an earlier interview with KTVU, Noel Gallo, a member of Oakland’s City Council, said that the July raid was the third time the police has raided the same location within a year. He explained that sometimes gangs would set up operations at properties that have been previously raided, hoping that they will avoid a second raid.

Gallo highlighted the dangers and proliferation of illegal gambling operations. He explained venues would often create a lot of noise in addition to attracting criminal gangs and other illicit activities.

However, according to Gallo, people in the community are oftentimes reluctant to report illegal activities and say who’s behind them.

The councilman said that, frustratingly, once an illegal operation is extinguished, another pops up in its place. Sometimes there would be multiple illegal casinos within a mile of each other.

The fight against unlicensed gambling will continue. Last month, the police warned that landlords can be fined if their properties are found to house illicit activities.

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Prosecutors said on Thursday that criminal charges have been brought against one Joseph Garrison who attempted and succeeded, along with his accomplices, to steal $600,000 from across 1,600 accounts as part of attacks launched on the popular sportsbook operators in November 2022.

A similar attack had already taken place that same month against FanDuel. However, FanDuel argued that it had been able to withstand the attack and no consumer was affected.

DraftKings Responds to Latest Development in Wake of Attacks

Commenting on this case, DraftKings issued a statement that was shared with media outlets, including CNBC, which did original reporting of the case. In that statement, DraftKings said that the safety of its customers was of paramount importance to the company, and added:

We worked with law enforcement in catching the alleged bad actor(s), and we want to thank the Department of Justice, including the FBI and U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York, for their prompt and effective action.

DraftKings

DraftKings has also confirmed that funds to the impacted users were restored. Investigators though were alerted and a chase for the culprits began. Garrison’s home was visited by authorities on February 23, with police executing a search warrant and finding a number of cell and computer devices that, upon investigation, were determined to have been used as the means of both perpetrating the attack and communication with co-conspirators.

“Fraud Is So Fun”

The case against Garrison is now building up. If he is found guilty of the litany of charges he faces, amongst which, a conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, unauthorized access to a protected computer to further intended fraud, unauthorized access to a protected computer, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud conspiracy, he may face up to 20 years of prison time.

These attacks come in the context of increasing interest in the sports gambling sector across the United States, which makes it all the more important for companies to ensure that they have impeccable security measures in place. In one of the images obtained from Garrison’s computer, the defendant says that “fraud is so fun.”

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