Police: Foxwoods card cheats had something up their sleeves

Four Korean nationals hid cards up their sleeves to cheat Foxwoods Resort Casino of nearly $900,000, according to the state police.

They allegedly used a "holdout device," allowing them to manipulate the cards they used to give them an advantage in games of baccarat during 14 visits between Sept. 8 and Oct. 20.

State police said they are investigating the possibility that the group is part of a Korean syndicate of card cheats.

According to a warrant prepared by Detective Martin Graham, Young Su Gy, 60, hid the cheating device on his left forearm while his partner, Wookyung Kim, 34, waved baccarat score cards to obstruct the view of the dealer and other players.

Baccarat is a card game in which two or more players gamble against the banker. The player who holds two or three cards closest to nine wins the hand.

Police said Gy would handle the cards the majority of the time. Gy would cover his cards with both hands and switch them back and forth, one on top of each other. As he did this, the holdout device in his left sleeve would deposit a card or remove one to improve his hand, the warrant said.

State police arrested Gy in November and charged him with 16 counts of cheating at gambling, seven counts of first-degree larceny, 16 counts of possession of a cheating device, three counts of third-degree larceny and six counts of second-degree larceny.

Kim was charged with 15 counts of cheating at gambling, seven counts of first-degree larceny, 16 counts of possession of a cheating device, three counts of third-degree larceny and seven counts of second-degree larceny.

State police also identified Hyeong Kim and Hwasik Bang as participants in the scam. Graham said they are believed to be in Korea.

In all, the alleged cheats stole $870,505 from the casino, police said.

The Foxwoods Office of the Inspector General notified police on Oct. 22 that a scam had been caught on video. Police were able to identify the suspects when they used their passports to obtain a Foxwoods Player Dream Card.

Passports seized

On Nov. 20, the Department of Homeland Security contacted state police to tell them that Wookyung Kim and Gy had arrived in the country a day earlier.

Police said that Gy and Kim played at various table games Nov. 19. Police learned they would be departing the country in a week.

Graham said the pair were arrested at the Holiday Inn in New London on Nov. 22.

Gy and Kim are scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court on Feb. 7. Their passports have been seized.

Officials at Foxwoods could not be reached for comment.

Graham said while investigating the card scheme police found Ingyu Park and Sun Jang on Nov. 23 at Foxwoods and determined they were wanted in New Jersey for allegedly conducting a similar scam at a casino in Atlantic City.

State police charged Park and Jang with being fugitives from justice.