Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Encore card dealer, player convicted in $15,000 cheating scheme
To cheat, Li would fan the cards to himself, memorize the cards, and communicate the sequence to Zhang, the Attorney General's office said.
An Encore Boston Harbor Casino employee and a player were found guilty last week of cheating during two games of baccarat in 2019 and illegally winning about $15,000, officials announced.
Encore baccarat dealer Jianming Li, of Delaware, and player Jun Na Zhang, of New York, were each found guilty on two counts of cheating and swindling more than $1,000 and one count each of larceny over $1,200 by single scheme, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office said.
To cheat, Li would fan the cards to himself, memorize the cards, and communicate the sequence to Zhang, the AG said. Zhang illegally won $15,000 after both nights.
Advertisement:
Baccarat is a card game where a player bets before the cards are dealt on which of two hands will be closer to nine.
The pair were indicted by a Middlesex County jury in 2021 and were each sentenced to one year in prison. However, Li’s sentence will be suspended for two years, meaning he won’t serve time unless he is convicted of another crime within that time period. Zhang’s sentence will also be suspended after he serves six months in prison.
Encore did not reply to a request for comment Monday night.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com