California man sentenced for leading ring that bilked $7 million from casinos across the US
By APMonday, March 15, 2010
Calif. man sentenced for bilking $7M from casinos
SAN DIEGO — A San Diego man who led a card-cheating scheme that bilked dozens of casinos across the country out of a total of $7 million has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison.
Phuong Quoc Truong was sentenced Monday in San Diego after pleading guilty in April 2008 to conspiracy to conduct a racketeering enterprise. He and 13 others were indicted in May 2007.
Truong has been ordered to serve 70 months, pay $5.7 million in restitution and forfeit nearly $2.8 million in fines plus two homes, property in Vietnam, a 2001 Porsche, a Rolex watch and jewelry.
Authorities say the ring targeted 27 casinos across the country, including three American Indian casinos near San Diego.
Truong bribed casino card dealers to perform “false shuffles” when he signaled, creating “slugs” or groups of unshuffled cards.
