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Two Casino Fraudsters Finally Convicted in the UK

Two men have finally been arrested and have appeared in court following a long on-going operation by the Metropolitan Police Service’s Human Exploitation and Organised Crime Command.

Frank Camilleri and Francesco Baioni were captured after they had tried to become members in a number of London casinos using bogus documents. Police were notified when the men tried to use ID which was identified as barred on the computer system. After search warrants were issued, both men’s houses were searched on the 9th of august. A number of items were recovered during the search including pictures of the men with false names. Police arrested Camilleri at Gatwick Airport on 23rd of August.

The two men pleaded guilty to using false ID’s to play poker in casinos all over the world. Camilleri admitted to eight charges while Baioni admitted to nine charges of receiving false documents with intent. Both men were found guilt with Camilleri, 61, receiving a nine month suspended sentence while Baioni, 64, was handed a twelve month suspended sentence. Both men were also forced to agree to a curfew for the next eighteen months, between 11pm and 6am. They have also been barred from all premises operated by the Gambling Commission.

The tactics the two men used have not been released, for good reason, by the police but they have said that the men had been working throughout America, Australia and China. It is assumed that the tactics could not be copied by online poker players. They also said the two men were conducting illegal activity for the past number of years as part of a global gang.

In May 2009 the first people to be convicted in the UK of cheating in casinos were Suleyman Arik and Mehmet Mersin, who had been caught on CCTV by security. The two men were also part of a gang who had been well known to play poker in casinos in Britain. Both men were monitored swapping cards at a table, using diversion tactics and quick hand movements, to ensure that one of them had the strongest hand. The Dealer was first to notice the scam, and alerted security at The Empire. They watched the men for two days before the police arrested them at the table.

At the time the UK Gambling Act, which makes cheating in casinos a criminal offence, was only new.
For online poker players, keeping up with reputable poker sites using is a must to avoid fraud.