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Earlier this month, the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem caught a player in the act of cheating at the game of blackjack. Jeremy Joseph Pahula, of Allentown, was caught capping and pinching his bets at the blackjack table on September 8th. Pahula now faces charges for his actions. The term capping refers to adding to the bet after the cards have been dealt. Pinching the bet means that the player’s bet is reduced after the cards have been dealt. According to court records, the player was sitting at the blackjack table from noon to 4:30 pm on the 8th when the security video cameras caught the player in the act of both methods of cheating.
The player told authorities that he never played the game of blackjack before and he had no idea what he was doing was illegal until the dealer told him so. The player also stated that he stopped his actions once he realized that was he was doing was wrong. However, the court papers state the authorities had found that Pahula had been at the blackjack tables before at the casino and he had not changed his ways when the dealer warned him about his actions. Pahula was able to earn around $450 during his day of gambling.
The gambler was charged with fifteen counts of knowingly performing a trick or fraud to win the game or to reduce a loss. He was also charged with one count each of theft by deception and an attempt to commit theft by deception. The player was arraigned in court in front of Patricia Romig-Passaro, District Judge, and was sent to the Northampton County Prison with $10,000 bail. This is just another instance as to why one should not try to cheat the casino because you will always get caught!
2012-09-22
