Pair accused of trying to cheat casino

Former Lake City Casino dealer and patron charged with attempted fraud

Two men accused of cheating at a Kelowna casino have been arrested and are facing charges.

On Nov. 4, 2016, Lake City Casino contacted the gaming policy and enforcement branch regarding an incident of cheating as a result of alleged dealer collusion.

The branch launched an investigation into the actions of the dealer and the patron.

“Investigators learned the patron was observed at two separate casino games in front of one Lake City Casino dealer over a period of three separate days,” said Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton, with the combined forces special enforcement unit of British Columbia.

“The dealer has since been suspended by the Lake City Casino, and his registration as a gaming worker in the province of B.C. has been suspended by the GPEB.”

On Nov. 21, 2016, the CFSEU-BC took the lead on the investigation.

“We gathered more information that we believe supported Criminal Code charges, that information was forwarded to Crown counsel, and now they have laid charges,” said Houghton.

Yun Yang, 21, of Kelowna, was charged with one count of intent to defraud a casino and cheat while holding the stakes for a game of roulette.

Mingzhe Xu, 25, of Kamloops, has been charged with one count of intent to defraud a casino and cheat while playing roulette and one count of intent to defraud a casino and cheat while playing three-card poker.

These are the first charges of this kind in B.C. since January 2015 and the first charges since the creation of the joint illegal gaming investigation team in B.C. last spring, said Houghton.

Both men were released from custody and are scheduled to appear in Kelowna provincial court on May 4.