Five, including dealer, charged in alleged cheating scheme at Toronto casino

Five individuals from Etobicoke, Toronto and Brampton, Ontario were recently charged with alleged fraud after being caught in a suspected cheating scheme at the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. 

Amongst these five individuals, a table games dealer who worked at the casino was also suspected of being involved in illegal activity, thus he was arrested together with the other four casino patrons. 

Following the initial suspicion, the casino immediately informed both the police officers and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) of the events that had taken place. 

The Ontario Provincial Police’s Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB), a fully integrated bureau of the AGCO, were alerted to this potential illegal activity. 

Having allegedly worked together with the aim of defrauding the Toronto casino owned by Great Canadian Entertainment, they were charged with a total of 19 offences, including cheating, theft, and fraud. 

The details of this arrest 

The five individuals who were charged for this alleged cheating scheme were identified as follows:

• 21-year-old Anagha Varghese, from Etobicoke 

• 23-year-old Yakshu Nehra, from Etobicoke 

• 25-year-old Himanshu Tanwar, from Etobicoke 

• 25-year-old Parkh Raheja, from Etobicoke 

• 21-year-old Tajveer Kour, from Brampton 

The amount of money that has potentially been stolen from the casino has not been disclosed as of yet, and neither has the nature of the alleged fraud. 

The charges that the police have enforced upon these casino patrons include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Cheat at play  

• Theft under $5,000 

• Fraud over $5,000 

• Criminal breach of trust against five people 

Following their arrest, the individuals accused of this alleged fraud were released from custody. They have now been scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice located in Toronto at a later stage. 

Comments from the representatives of the casino 

Chuck Keeling, the EVP of Stakeholder Engagement Community and Social Responsibility at Great Canadian Entertainment, made the following statement: 

“We extend our appreciation to the OPP for their prompt arrest of the accused, and we will continue to support their investigation and prosecution.  

“Maintaining the integrity of our games is paramount in providing a safe and fun environment for all our guests. Rigorous measures are in place to detect and thwart any instance of collusion or fraudulent activity in our casinos and we remain vigilant in ensuring these measures are upheld to preserve the trust and safety of our guests.” 

Great Canadian Entertainment 

Great Canadian Entertainment is a Canadian gaming entertainment and hospitality company that was founded back in 1982. 

They describe themselves as follows: 

“Great Canadian Entertainment owns and operates 25 destinations across Canada, featuring more than 18,000 slot machines, 600 live table games, top-rated restaurants, and live entertainment. For a great time find the nearest location to you.” 

The Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, owned by Great Canadian Entertainment, first opened its doors in June of last year. 

Since then, the $1 billion venue has amassed massive popularity, having been equipped with over 4,800 slot machines and more than 145 table games.