Daily Archives: October 17, 2021

Posted: Oct 15, 2021 / 10:31 PM EDT / Updated: Oct 15, 2021 / 10:31 PM EDT

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. (WTRF) The Meadows Casino and Racetrack, and Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency hosted an unveiling of the new brand, called Hollywood Casino at the Meadows.

Rebranding into Hollywood Casino at the Meadows has been a two-year process, with millions of dollars being invested into upgrades and other quality-of-life improvements. The unveiling was followed by various celebrations on the racetrack and casino floor, and was attended by many of the community leaders who played a role in this upgrading process.

You know, for us, it really unlocks the power of our network with over nine Hollywood Casinos in a close proximity to us. Uh, the power of My Choice Network which is connected to over 22 states and 40over 40 properties. Hollywood Casino.com, Barstool Sports, uh, online, it lets our customers know that when theyre playing at all those channels, it all connects back to us.

The transformation to the new brand will continue into quarter one of 2022, with a new Barstool Sportsbook campus. Some upcoming events slated for Saturday include concerts with local bands, free giveaways, hourly lucky draws, and fireworks.

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Unveiling the newly rebranded Hollywood Casino at the Meadows - WTRF

Posted on: October 17, 2021, 11:01h.

Last updated on: October 17, 2021, 11:01h.

Authorities in New Jersey have indicted five New York State residents for allegedly bilking Atlantic casinos out of more than $1.1 million using a sophisticated fraudulent check scheme.

Xiuhuan Zhang, 65, Qingtao Zhang, 53, Sen Ge, 29,Shuai Liu, 30, and Peng Cai, 33 were charged Thursday with second-degree conspiracy and various counts of second-degree theft by deception, the state Attorney Generals Office said.

Over the space of three days in August, the two female members of the gang, Xiuhuan Zhang and Qingtao Zhang, allegedly presented forged checks at five casinos in the city. These were exchanged for casino chips before being cashed out. According to state prosecutors, the three men assisted [the women] at various times during the alleged fraud.

Casinos targeted were Caesars, Borgata, Ocean, Hard Rock, and Golden Nugget. At each casino, Xiuhuan Zhang allegedly presented a fraudulent TD Bank Official check for $150,000 to obtain chips, and Qingtao Zhang allegedly presented a fraudulent Bank of America Cashiers check for $134,000.

The gang was not always successful. The Hard Rock denied one check for $150,000, while Qingtao Zhang was told she could only receive chips in incremental amounts on her $134,000 check.

Xiuhuan Zhang was arrested by Dutch police in Amsterdam earlier this month at the request of New Jersey authorities. The others are still at large. The state Attorney Generals Office said it was currently investigating other individuals it believes may be linked to the crimes.

The defendants were caught executing a sophisticated financial scheme spanning multiple casinos and over a million dollars in fraudulent checks, saidActing Attorney General Andrew Bruck in a statement.

This case is just one example of the excellent work in this instance across international borders performed by the members of the New Jersey State Police and Division of Criminal Justice who are assigned to investigate and prosecute crimes in the casinos, he added.

New Jerseys Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau obtained an Atlantic County grand jury indictment on October 13. If convicted, the suspects face five to 10 years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $150,000.

The State Police Casino Gaming Bureau and the Division of Criminal Justice Casino Prosecutions Unit routinely work together to investigate and prosecute major cases involving financial fraud, money laundering, or other criminal conduct committed in the casinos in Atlantic City, saidDirector Lyndsay V. Ruotolo of the Division of Criminal Justice.

Through their vigilance, expertise, and diligent work, we are holding those responsible for these crimes accountable, she added.

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Five Indicted for $1.1 Million Atlantic City Casino Bogus Check... - Casino.Org News

Five New Yorkers are facing theft charges for allegedly scheming to steal more than $1.1 million from multiple casinos in Atlantic City, where prosecutors say they attempted to pass false blank checks in order to obtain an equivalent amount in gaming chips.

The investigation began after a serious of suspicious transactions between Aug. 26-28, when the defendants allegedly conspired to carry out the scheme at five casinos.

Two women, identified as 65-year-old Xiuhuan Zhang and 53-year-old Qingtao Zhang, allegedly presented fraudulent TD Bank Official Check and America Cashier's Checks at Caesars, the Borgata, Ocean Casino Resort, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino.

The women received assistance from three male suspects, identified by investigators as 30-year-old Shuai Liu, 33-year-old Peng Cai and 29-year-old Sen Ge.

At each of the five casinos Xiuhuan, Zhang is accused of presenting a false TD Bank Official Check for $150,000. Qingtao Zhang allegedly presented America Cashier's Checks in the amount of $134,000. The checks were identical at all casinos and totaled $1,120,000, investigators said,

At the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, staff rejected a $150,000 and refused to give out chips. The Golden Nugget also was leery of one of the checks it received, agreeing only to provide incremental amounts of equivalent value in gaming chips.

Qingtao Zhang was arrested Sept. 7 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on an arrest warrant obtained during the investigation. The other five defendants remain at large and are being sought on arrest warrants.

The defendants were caught executing a sophisticated financial scheme spanning multiple casinos and over a million dollars in fraudulent checks, said Acting New Jersey Attorney General Andrew Bruck. This case is just one example of the excellent work in this instance across international borders performed by the members of the New Jersey State Police and Division of Criminal Justice who are assigned to investigate and prosecute crimes in the casinos.

All five defendants face charges of second-degree conspiracy, second-degree theft by deception and second-degree attempted theft by deception, which carry a potential sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $150,000.

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Five charged with allegedly stealing $1.1 million from Atlantic City casinos - PhillyVoice.com

AP Top Stories October 14

Here's the latest for Thursday October 14th: Thousands of John Deere workers go on strike; Former Justice Dept. official subpoenaed in January 6th investigation; Deadly building fire in Taiwan; Winds spell more fire danger in California.

AP

ATLANTIC CITY - Five New York City residents are accused of stealing more than $1.1 million from casinos here through a bogus-check scheme.

The suspects allegedly exchanged phony bank checks for gaming chips at five casinos between Aug. 26 and Aug. 28, said the Attorney General's Office.

Three of the casinos Borgata, Caesars and Ocean each lost $284,000 to the scheme, the agency said in a statement Thursday.

The Golden Nugget and Hard Rock casinoslost $134,000 apiece.

The defendants were caught executing a sophisticated financial scheme spanning multiple casinos and over a million dollars in fraudulent checks,Acting Attorney General AndrewBruck allegedThursday in announcing charges in the case.

The suspects allegedly presented each casino with two fake checks, one for $150,000 and another for $134,000, the statement said. The checks appeared to be from TD Bank and Bank of America.

Hard Rock's loss was lower because it denied a$150,000 check. Golden Nugget reduced its exposure by telling a suspect she could only receive incremental amounts on a$134,000 check.

One suspect, 53-year-old Qingtao Zhang, was detained earlier this month in Amsterdam.

Investigators still are seekingXiuhuan Zhang, 65;Shuai Liu, 30;Peng Cai, 33; and Sen Ge, 29.

Additional individuals are under investigation, the prosecutor's office said.

An indictment accuses the suspects of conspiracy, theft by deception and attempted theft by deception.

The charges are only allegations. No one has been convicted in the case.

Jim Walsh covers public safety, economic development and other beats for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal.

Support local journalism with a subscription.

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Five accused of scamming more than $1M at Atlantic City casinos - Courier Post

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) When residents of Richmonds 8th City Council district gathered at Hickory Hill Community Center Thursday, they were welcomed with a wall of purple signs urging them to vote yes on a referendum this November to allow a casino nearby.

And greeting them inside, behind a small table set up in front of the stage, was Alfred C. Liggins, III CEO of Urban One, the company behind the casino proposal.

His plan, billed as the ONE Casino + Resort, would see hundreds of millions invested in a hotel and casino complex off of Commerce Road on Richmonds Southside if they get the nod from voters.

While prominent political figures like Reva Trammell, councilwoman for the 8th district, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe have enthusiastically endorsed the proposal, others have registered opposition, like Senator Tim Kaine, who told reporters that he voted no on his early ballot.

Critics cite concerns that the proposal, like the failed Navy Hill development also championed by Mayor Levar Stoney, could end up costing the city, and possibly drain money from its poorest residents.

In a Facebook post on May 12, Democratic candidate and community activist Richard Walker wrote that the casino would [pull] wealth from low-income communities, and provides political cover for legislators who dont want to raise taxes on the wealthy.

Speaking at the community meeting, Trammell was quick to reassure residents that this proposal would be different.

She said shes discussed the proposal at length, and her stance was that if its not gonna cost the taxpayers one penny, Im for it.

For supporters of the casino, thats a selling point that differentiates it from the controversial Navy Hill plan. The Navy Hill deal would have required the city to issue hundreds of millions in bonds paid for with theoretical future tax revenues.

The casino proposal that voters will decide on the Nov. 2 election explicitly states that Richmond will not provide any abatements, exemptions, subsidies, incentives, rebates, financing, financial waivers, or any other type of funding or tax relief for the project.

If it doesnt happen here itll end up somewhere else the General Assembly will not let central Virginia go without a casino.

The Urban One plan was one of three proposals considered as finalists by Richmond City Council. In remarks at the community meeting, Liggins said part of the reason Urban Ones plan was chosen was because of its location in an industrial area in Richmonds 8th council district.

According to Liggins, the land, which is currently owned by the Phillip Morris Company, is a great place to put it where its not gonna get in anybodys way.

He and Trammell said that the project would draw the attention of city services to the area, which Trammell said has long been neglected.

Liggins insisted it was not a question of whether a casino would be built in the region but whether it would be in the City of Richmond.

If it doesnt happen here itll end up somewhere else the General Assembly will not let central Virginia go without a casino, he said.

One of the selling points Liggins repeatedly emphasized was a slate of economic benefits the casino would bring to locals like those in attendance at the community meeting.

He pointed specifically to a clause in their agreement with Richmond that would require at least 40 percent of construction contracts to be granted to minority business enterprises and another that would require 60 percent of casino workers to be Richmond residents.

But theres a catch an indemnity clause that states the city shall in no way or in any manner attemptto influence or otherwise control Owners performance of clauses related to hiring practices. That raises the question of how, exactly, the city will be able to enforce its own agreement with Urban One.

And while Liggins repeatedly emphasized the importance of Black ownership of Urban One, prominent Richmond Black activists have spoken out against the proposal.

On Race Capitol, a community radio show on WRIR 97.3 FM hosted by Chelsea Higgs Wise, Nomi Isaac and Kalia Harris, former city council candidate Allan-Charles Chipman said the city has already passed over Southside when distributing American Rescue Plan funding, so its hard to believe casino revenues will be any different, If people care about Southside in all of this, say it with your treasury chest.

Chipman argued that while tax revenue will be good for the citys balance books, the local effects might not be so sunny.

Research actually shows that casinos can lower property values up to fifteen percent of whats surrounding there as well, he said. And so, when people were saying build it over there and all that other racist stuff you were seeing, the city actually decided to do that.

Urban One has its own, much wider radio presence. The company owns radio stations in major cities up and down the East Coast, reaching 15 million weekly listeners, according to the companys website.

One of those stations is 99.3 KISS FM, a Richmond R&B and Classic Soul station, which boosts the casino on its webpage with a direct link to the companys campaign site and stories promoting the casino.

News One, the companys journalism arm, has frequently praised the proposal, showcasing support from figures such as the Reverend Al Sharpton.

Additionally, 8News reported earlier this year that Liggins and ONE Casino investors had been prominent donors both to the campaign of Mayor Levar Stoney and to members of the General Assembly.

All of that may have given Liggins reason to be confident that voters will approve the casino in November. One sign of that confidence is his claim at the community meeting that hiring has already begun, We had a job fair today, vendor fair yesterday.

The referendum question will appear on the ballot for voters registered in Richmond, whether voting in-person on Nov. 2, at early voting locations prior to Oct. 31, or by mail-in ballot.

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What to know before voting on Richmonds casino question - 8News

An Outlook man wanted for shooting a woman outside Legends Casino Hotel last week was killed by Idaho law enforcement officers Wednesday, the Yakima County Sheriffs Office said.

Buddy Byron McKenzie, 41, was shot near McCammon, Idaho, about 18 miles south of Pocatello, Yakima County sheriffs spokesman Casey Schilperoort said.

While the Bannock County Sheriffs Office said that the identity of the man who was killed has not been confirmed, Schilperoort said Yakima County deputies were told that McKenzie was the man who was shot.

McKenzie was wanted on charges of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault and second-degree unlawful firearms possession in connection with a shooting in the parking lot of the Yakama Nation-owned casino outside Toppenish Oct. 4.

McKenzie had fired at officers in Caribou County, Idaho, and was being pursued around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday when Bannock County deputies joined the chase, according to a news release from the Bannock County Sheriffs Office.

Officers from several agencies pursued the vehicle through Lava Hot Springs and used spikes to deflate the tires, the release said. McKenzie continued to drive on the rims of the vehicle until it came to a stop on Highway 30 near the McCammon exit for Interstate 15, Schilperoort said.

McKenzie was shot after he got out of the vehicle and pointed a pistol at officers, Schilperoort said. Idaho State Police and Soda Springs police officers also responded, the release said.

The Southeastern Idaho Critical Incident Team is investigating the shooting, the Bannock County release said.

McKenzie was charged in Yakima County Superior Court in the shooting of his ex-girlfriend. Sheriffs deputies were called to the casino around 12:40 a.m. Oct. 4 for a gunshot victim, and found the woman shot in the parking lot.

The woman told deputies that McKenzie had gotten out of a vehicle, pointed a gun at her and fired, hitting her in the stomach, and he fired a second shot while she was on the ground that grazed her head, according to court documents.

Surveillance video from the casino showed the woman as she was shot by the man, according to court documents.

Court records show McKenzie had prior convictions for felony harassment, fourth-degree assault, violating protection orders, taking a motor vehicle without permission, second-degree possession of stolen property, obstruction, intimidating a witness and unlawful imprisonment.

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Suspect in shooting outside Legends Casino killed in confrontation with Idaho authorities, sheriff's office says - Yakima Herald-Republic

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) A murder suspect is behind bars after a crime spree of stealing cars and guns. Now, police say theyre looking for his accomplice. Police say Erick Garcias crime spree started Sept. 10 when a group of crooks rammed their car into the Los Ranchos Gun Shop near Osuna and Fourth. From there, things only escalated.

We received a call from our alarm company, I did and my manager did, said Mark Abramson, owner of Los Ranchos Gun Shop. We got here right away and the police were already here, waiting for us to open so they could go in and inspect the premises.

Surveillance video shows the moment a group of crooks took an interesting approach to break into the gun shop before taking off with seven guns. It all happened around 4:30 a.m.

It appears they broke in through an adjacent space. They actually rammed a car into a wall, went into our neighbors unit, then broke through two walls, said Abramson. They left quite a mess.

Police now say one of those thieves, 22-year-old Erick Garcia, is involved in a murder that happened just two weeks after the break-in. According to court documents filed earlier on Friday, Garcia and an accomplice, Edgar Orona Camacho, killed a man who had car trouble, south of I-40 near the Route 66 Casino. According to the victims juvenile sister who was with him, Garcia and Orona Camacho helped jump Esteban Mercado-Rangels battery, before pulling out a gun and shooting him in the chest multiple times, then taking his car, forcing the young girl inside.

The sister who escaped later identified the suspects in a photo lineup. Police say after that, it wasnt hard to pin the suspects to the murder. A search warrant for Facebook messages shows the two walking about the moments before and after the deadly robbery.

This week, cops finally nabbed Garcia for a stolen car before connecting the dots to his month-long crime spree. Police say Orona Camacho is still on the run.

Were happy that one of these guys at least came off the streets. Itll be nice if they recover any of the firearms Were just not sure thats ever going to happen at this point, said Abramson. Putting seven guns on the streets is really the thing were most concerned about.

The Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office says its still too early to tell if any of the stolen guns from Los Ranchos were used in the murder. The state has filed a motion to keep Garcia in jail until trial.

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Suspect in gun shop theft tied to murder near Route 66 Casino - KRQE News 13