The Red Hawk Tribal Casino in Placerville, California is the victim of an alleged embezzlement scheme. The casino lost more than US$200,00 in a plot by the casino’s floor manager and a patron. Both parties have been arrested.
How Red Hawk Tribal Casino was Embezzled
The pair, who have been identified as Prak Pich and Luc Mooc, were arraigned on Monday on charges. They appeared in El Dorado Country Superior Court before Judge Mark Ralphs. According to California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Pich – the Red Hawk Tribal Casino floor manager – extended credit lines to Mooc. This is a common practice for casinos. But Pich would then allegedly doctor documents to make it look like the credit line was paid back. However, authorities claim that in actual fact it had not.
“These short term, no-interest credit lines are commonly extended by casinos to allow approved patrons easy access to gambling funds with the understanding that the temporary loan would be repaid within a short period of time,” said Becerra in a statement. “However, instead of paying back the loans, Mooc and Pich allegedly conspired to steal the funds that would range anywhere from $12,000 to $14,000 at a time.
Details About the Embezzlement Case
The two conspirators were arrested on Thursday and are being held at the El Dorado County Jail. Currently, the bail conditions are set at US$200,000 each. However, Judge Ralphs can change the amount during the court appearance.
The Red Hawk Tribal Casino case is being investigated by the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Gambling Control. In a statement announcing the two arrests, Becerra said they’ll do their part in tackling criminal activity in the state. “My office stands ready to fight back against those who try to get rich quick by breaking the law. The California Department of Justice will do its part.”
This isn’t the first time the Red Hawk Tribal Casino was the target of criminal activity. In November 2018, there was a $11 million fraud scheme aimed at Red Hawk and another venue. Investigations led to the arrest of a Georgia woman who was sentenced to two years in prison.
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