Feds Accuse 11 Of Cheating Casinos

SAN DIEGO (CN) - Federal prosecutors accuse 11 people of cheating 12 casinos across the country - five of them Indian-owned - by bribing dealers to make false shuffles, from 2002 to 2007. The members of the so-called "Tran Organization" are charged with several counts of conspiracy, including conspiracy to travel in interstate and foreign commerce in aid of racketeering.

A false shuffle leaves a stack of unshuffled cards at the top of multi-deck shoes in blackjack and baccarat. The bettors, who have tracked the cards already dealt from the shoe, thus gain a statistical edge. The group allegedly won thousands of dollars this way. They also are accused of using "sophisticated mechanisms" to count the cards, prosecutors said.

Seventeen other defendants already have pleaded guilty in the scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The remaining 11 defendants face up to 5 years in prison if convicted.

Here are the defendants: Bryan Arce, Don Man Duong, Hogan Ho, Thang Viet Huynh, Outtama Keovongsa, Leap Kong aka Lanida Kong, Qua Le, Khunsela Prom aka Danny Prom, James Root, Darrell Saicocie, and Dan Thich.

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