Holyoke man to pay $30K in MGM Springfield casino swindle
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SPRINGFIELD — A Holyoke man must pay the MGM Springfield $30,025 in restitution after he was convicted of swindling the casino by “bet capping.”
Daniel Ruiz, 41, entered a guilty plea in Hampden Superior Court on March 24 to charges of larceny by a single scheme and one count of cheating and swindling. In addition to the restitution payment, Ruiz must serve two years of probation.
According to investigators attached to the state police Gaming Enforcement Unit, Ruiz frequented the MGM casino between Jan. 29 and Feb. 14, 2019, to play four-card poker. As he played, he would frequently ask dealers to break a large-denomination chip into smaller chips. As he handed the large chip to the dealer, he used sleight of hand to add to his existing bet, increasing his winnings.
