A man was arrested recently in connection with forging the paperwork for a jackpot slot win at Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo in Iowa (pictured).
Matthew Wessels, 43, won the jackpot in May 2024, despite having voluntarily banned himself from all casinos in Iowa in January 2023.
This meant he couldn’t legally claim his prize. He is charged with using a false name and Social Security number when filling out the paperwork. However, the person whose identity he used was not happy when they found out, and they reported the incident to the police.
Wessels was arrested last week after an FBI sting in which he allegedly offered to sell four pounds of meth to an undercover agent. As well as charges of possession with intent to supply a controlled substance, he was also hit with the gambling charges related to the jackpot win.
The Incident
Wessels, a man who has an extensive rap sheet in Iowa, signed up to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission’s voluntary casino self-exclusion register last year in January.
Once a player is on the list, casinos have the right to forcibly remove the player from their properties. Although voluntary to sign-up, the consequences of a player breaking their own ban can include charges of criminal trespass for frequent or egregious violators.
Despite putting himself on a gambling ban, Wessels could not resist the allure of the casino floor for long. In May of this year, he visited the casino in Waterloo, Lawrence County, in southern Ohio.
That’s where he hit an undisclosed jackpot win while playing at a slot machine. However, it was then basically impossible for him to claim his prize.
Wessels allegedly decided to try and get around the rules by using the name and details of an acquaintance to claim the prize. But that person was not in the least bit happy to hear about being involved in a possible fraud, and reported Wessels to the police.
Wessels alleged crime is not the only time in recent years that U.S. players have attempted to claim gambling winnings through a third party in order to avoid legal trouble.
Gambling Fraud
In May 2022, Lance Halderman of Michigan City, Indiana, was hit with felony cheating charges by state police after asking someone else to claim his jackpot slot win in order to avoid paying child support payment debts.
In another case in Iowa, an Evansdale woman illegally claimed a $30,000 lottery win on behalf of her housemate in order to avoid his $500 debt to the City.
Sandra “Sandy” Crow and Alvin Hans Larsen III were initially successful with their scheme. However, a domestic dispute over what the money would be used for led to police being called and the discovery of their crime.
In late 2023, the pair were convicted of misdemeanor lottery fraud in separate trials. In April of this year, they were found jointly liable to repay the full $30,000 sum to the Iowa Lottery.
David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
