A woman was arrested recently in Las Vegas, suspected of playing a key role in a 2023 fraud that saw Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall lose $750,000 in cash.
Rosa Barria, 36, was arrested by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police late last week in connection with the June 2023 theft.
The incident saw an employee at the Sam’s Town cashier cage take $750,000 in cash from the casino to a drop-off in North Las Vegas, believing that she had been in contact with casino management and a lawyer. There, she handed it over to a person claiming to be the lawyer.
Upon returning to the casino, the employee realized she’d probably been duped and alerted management and the police.
Investigators did not confirm if they suspect Barria was the fraudulent caller, or the bag lady collecting the cash. But she has been charged in connection with the theft.
She is being held on $30K bail at Clark County Detention Center, awaiting August 20 for her next court appearance.
UPS Delivery
The casino employee recounted what happened to police, sparking a year-long investigation.
The casino employee told how she spoke to two people who claimed to be casino staff and a lawyer, both on the phone and via messages. They asked her to take $750,000 in cash, supposedly for lawyer’s fees, to a UPS drop-off point outside a business eight miles away in North Las Vegas. Which she did.
Upon arriving, two individuals greeted her, one claiming to be a lawyer. She handed over the cash, and it was never seen again.
It is unclear exactly what role Barria allegedly played in the scam, or if the other suspects have been identified by police.
Casinos Scammed
This scam involving AI and hacking to manipulate business employees into handing over cash is more prevalent at casinos, which tend to work 24-hours and have large amounts of cash on hand.
Several have been targeted in similar ways over the past two years. In one case, an employee at Circa Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas was taken for more than $1.1 million using similar methods.
Erik Guiterrez Martinez was caught and sentenced to one year for his role in the scam. His lenient sentence was for what the judge called his role as a “bag man.” That is, someone forced into collecting illicit cash obtained by a wider, more sophisticated criminal operation.
There have been enough instances of these scams that both the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the National Indian Gaming Commission have issued updated guidance to casino operators on how to prevent them.
Most casino scammers are not as hi-tech, however. In recent Nevada news, one couple allegedly broke into the cashier’s cage at Primm Valley Casino and made away with $650,000 in casino chips. Days later, they were arrested at their Las Vegas home.
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.
