Thursday, March 27, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
A federal judge sentenced Hong Kong high-roller Chun "John" Lok to nine years in prison for helping cheat the MGM Grand, Las Vegas Hilton and Sheraton Desert Inn at mini-baccarat.
Lok played an instrumental role in the 1995 scam that guaranteed players would win a total $768,000. He was one of three professional gamblers and two dealers sentenced these past two days for participating in the criminal ring.
"Mr. Lok was the person who was putting together the teams and giving out the assignments," Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Johnson said at Wednesday's sentencing.
Lok has maintained his innocence since his arrest in August and plans to appeal the conviction and sentence. His wife, Becky Wu, said her husband is a successful businessman who specializes in real estate transactions and had no motivation to break the law.
"I don't believe my husband cheated," Wu said through an interpreter. "He doesn't need to do this. He has a lot of money (and) a happy family in Hong Kong. He has one daughter and one son."
Wu cried quietly while Lok asked the federal judge for mercy and a lighter prison sentence so he may return to Hong Kong and care for his wife and children, ages 15 and 4.
But U.S. District Judge Lloyd George said this type of cheating ring could have been devastating to Las Vegas' casino industry and sentenced him to 108 months in prison.
In addition, Lok was ordered to help repay the $768,000 the casinos lost. Upon Lok's release from prison, he cannot return to the United States without first getting permission from the government.
"Those who are unwilling to play by the rules must suffer the consequences," George said.
As Lok was being led from the courtroom, he turned to his wife and gestured for her to stop crying. Wu said she did not know when she would return to Hong Kong because she is torn between leaving her husband and not having her children near her.
Lok and Hong Kong high-roller Chi Pang Lee (sentenced to 97 months Tuesday) and Las Vegas gambler Chung Wong (70 months) were convicted of conspiracy and multiple counts of money laundering and interstate and foreign travel in aid of racketeering.
Dealers Cindy Ruirong Wan and Hung Quoc Ly received 67 and 87 months respectively for their roles. A third dealer, Cheok Sang Wong, is a fugitive.
The cheating occurred by "false shuffle," where a player records the order of cards and the dealer improperly shuffles the deck, creating a "slug" of cards whose order can be predicted.
FBI and Nevada gaming investigators uncovered the criminal operation through the meticulous review of casino surveillance cameras and the cooperation of one of the gamblers, Som "Tommy" Hom of Los Angeles.
Hom met with law enforcement agents five to nine times over a year and admitted to recording the order of the cards and signaling to the other players to increase the size of their bets, FBI documents said. He also identified Lok, Lee and other gamblers and dealers to the FBI.
But Hom disappeared before the November trial and is now a fugitive. Despite the loss of Hom's testimony, the government was able to prove the cheating ring existed.
The FBI has issued arrest warrants for Hom, his girlfriend, "Erica" Mui Lu, and her brother-in-law, Thanh Sam Su, all from Los Angeles. Authorities have also issued warrants for three Hong Kong gamblers.
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