Nevada Gaming Commission Nominates Mississippi Magician to Black Book

A illusionist who allegedly uses his knowledge of misdirection to cozenage casinos was nominated Midweek to Nevada’s List of Excluded Persons. That’s the infamous “black book” banning people for life from all casinos inward the Silver State.

The Sagebrush State Gaming Control Board nominated Shaun Chief Joseph Benward, 36, following a intro by Michael Somps, Senior Deputy Attorney General in the Gaming Division of the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.

According to Somps, Benward has cheated casinos crosswise the state out of tens of thousands of dollars past perpetrating a bingle scam — an allegation backed up past multiple intelligence reports.

Benward’s MO is to piece of work with an accomplice to distract line roulette dealers. He wins their trust through conversation, and then places his wager late inward a game.

When the ball lands, Benward tries convincing his dealer that he mistakenly placed his chips on the legal injury number. His confederate backs upwardly the story.

Often, a flustered dealer testament tolerate the wager to live played. Often, however, Benward is caught.

This is why his make appears on exclusion lists inward Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Michigan — and wherefore he has cheating arrests or convictions inwards Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, and Rhode Island.

According to Somps, Benward has been kicked out of 17 Silver State casinos o'er the years.

It is upward to the NV Gaming Commission whether to officially balloting Benward into its fatal book. When that might go on is unclear,

Benward, a indigene of Ocean Springs, Miss., has the flop to a audience before the vote.