Chinese gang preying on Indian casino gamblers
By Sam Stanton and Chelsea Phua, Sacramento Bee
On a bright, sunny afternoon last week, about 60 people gathered inside Thunder Valley Casino, pressed together five deep at the midi baccarat tables, where the stakes go up to $2,000 a hand.
Others sat intently at the pai gow poker tables nearby.
Almost all were of Asian descent. Most were women.
And each was potential prey in what state and casino officials allege was an unusual and audacious attempt by a Chinese gang to target gamblers at Sacramento-area tribal casinos for extortion and loan sharking.
After a seven-month probe, state Department of Justice officials announced this month they had broken up a scheme that targeted gamblers of Asian descent who frequent Red Hawk, Thunder Valley and at least one other area casino.
I would say that Indian casinos just don’t have the experience of Nevada casinos yet, cause they should be aware of scams like this, but maybe they didn’t mind these losing gamblers getting some more money to contribute to their coffers, so they looked the other way.