A baccarat scamming group has victimized a minimum of 10 casinos in multiple states, and warrants have been issued for the arrest of six group members suspected of massive gambling fraud. The cheating ring has already gotten over $1.5 million, and the cheating method involves making use of a cut card to 'fan out' the deck, then the image is relayed to another accomplice who studies the deck of cards and advises other group members with the use of hidden earpieces when to bet for the best gains.

A coordinated baccarat scamming ring is under investigation after defrauding a minimum of 10 casinos across six states, netting more than $1.5 million through a sophisticated card-manipulation scheme. Law enforcement agencies in Indiana and beyond are now seeking six suspects accused of executing the scam between July of 2023 and March of 2024.

The largest known heist occurred at the Hard Rock Casino in Northern Indiana, where the group allegedly walked away with over $700,000 using high-tech subterfuge and sleight-of-hand tactics. The criminal case, now unfolding in Lake County, Indiana, has triggered a multistate manhunt and raised alarms across the casino industry.

Cut cards and concealed phones: the scam in action

At the center of the operation was a deceptively simple trick - using a cut card to briefly expose the sequence of playing cards during a baccarat game. The fleeting image of the deck was captured on a hidden phone camera, then sent to an off-site accomplice. That person, using the footage, would determine the card sequence and relay precise betting instructions back to players at the table through hidden earpieces.

This strategy allowed the group to time their bets perfectly, often winning hand after hand while avoiding immediate detection. The casinos affected include the Mohegan Pennsylvania Casino Resort located in Wilkes-Barre, Imperial Palace and the Golden Nugget casinos in Biloxi, Mississippi, and Bally's Casino, located in Chicago. Officials believe this was a well-organized operation that deliberately sought out vulnerabilities at each location.

Suspects named and warrants issued

Indiana authorities have issued arrest warrants for six individuals in connection with the scheme: Fuxiang Liu, Jianchu Liu, Qingyong Zhang, Daiqi Wang, Yuhan Hu, and Honghui Wu. All are charged with felony theft and cheating at gambling. Some are believed to be foreign nationals, including Jianchu Liu, who is also wanted in Pennsylvania on separate misdemeanor charges involving fraudulent gaming tactics.

The accused reportedly moved as a unit, alternating roles and adjusting their techniques depending on the casino's level of vigilance and the dealers' experience.

Caught on camera: a brazen execution

Court filings and police affidavits reveal striking footage from inside one of the targeted casinos. At Mohegan Pennsylvania, surveillance cameras captured Liu discreetly activating a mobile app while seated at the baccarat table. He dimmed the screen to avoid drawing attention and concealed the phone beneath a stack of scorecards.

When Liu was asked to cut the deck, he was seen subtly guiding the dealer's hands to manipulate the card exposure - an action that appeared innocuous but was integral to recording the deck order. The footage, investigators say, shows how the group was able to exploit a seemingly ordinary game mechanic.

No inside help, just inexperience

While the level of precision led some casino officials to suspect inside assistance, authorities in Indiana say that wasn't the case - at least not deliberately. A dealer at Hard Rock Casino was initially believed to be involved, but further questioning revealed that he was merely inexperienced and had been manipulated by the group to allow them greater control during the cut. They preyed on less experienced staff who were more likely to allow subtle liberties at the table, investigators noted in their report.

The case has sent ripples through the US gaming industry, highlighting potential vulnerabilities in table games like baccarat, which rely heavily on dealer discretion and minimal player interference. Regulators are now advising casinos to review surveillance procedures and reinforce staff training to identify unusual behavior during card handling. As the investigation widens, authorities remain focused on locating and apprehending the suspects, believed to be responsible for one of the most elaborate gambling frauds in recent memory.