March 15, 2010
Being a regular on the gambling scene, Guru was interested to hear about two daring criminals who managed to steal thousands of pounds from casinos in London.
How was it achieved? An Ocean's Eleven style underground raid? Some clever card counting? Maybe a straight put up job?
Well, none of the above as it happens. In turns out that the dastardly pair were actually IT contractors who used knowledge they gained through working on tech systems at gambling firms to pilfer the cash.
Andrew Ashley, 30, and Nimesh Bhagat, 31, stole more than £33,000 within three months by infiltrating software which controlled remote betting machines at roulette wheels in four casinos, owned by Gala.
The scam was exposed when a cashier noticed a £600 win had been claimed from having placed only £10 into the machine - an impossible win when odds at roulette are 35/1.
The pair received 12-month suspended sentences in what police said was the first case of computer mishandling in the UK gaming sector.
Both IT contractors pleaded guilty to theft under the Theft Act 1968; were handed 200 hours of community service and were ordered to pay back around £16,000 each (sounds like a tidy £1,000 profit to Guru - kerching!).
So, the next time you see the guys from the IT help desk, don't ignore them and laugh at their clothes. They may be your guide to future riches (legal note: or prison).
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