Agents out to nab cash launderers

Tuesday, May 14, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Undercover agents of the State Gaming Control Board are using new tricks to nab Nevada casinos that violate money laundering regulations.

The board filed complaints Friday against the Sahara and Luxor in Las Vegas and the Peppermill in Wendover.

In past stings, an agent would go into a casino, leave several thousand dollars at the cashier's cage and then return in a day or two to pick up the money. The regulations require the casino to return the same bills to the customer.

The rule first was adopted by the U.S. Treasury Department to stop drug lords from laundering their profits. The Control Board administers the law in Nevada and has caught many casinos violating the rules.

Now the agents are actually posing as gamblers, conducting transactions instead of just depositing the money and then redeeming it.

In the Luxor case, the board said agents placed $4,200 in cash on deposit on Feb. 8 in a telephone account at the race and sports book. There was $3,300 in $20 bills and $900 in $100 bills.

An agent placed a telephone wager for $55 and won the bet, which paid $105. Two days later, he placed two $50 bets and lost, leaving a balance of $4,150.

A day later, he returned to the race and sports book and received his money back in different denominations. The board, in its complaint, said this was an unsuitable method of operation and requested that the Nevada Gaming Commission levy a fine against Luxor.

On Feb. 16, undercover agents placed $6,500 in $20 bills on deposit at the main casino cage at the Sahara. The same day, the agents took out a pit marker for $500 at a blackjack table.

After playing for a while, the agents returned to the main casino cashier cage and made a partial withdrawal of $3,000 from the front money deposit. The cashier gave the agents all $100 bills.

In October at the Peppermill in Wendover, an undercover agent asked the cage cashier to change several $20 bills. The cage supervisor agreed to exchange up to $500. Later, the agent asked for another exchange. But the supervisor was not available to authorize the transaction.

The agent was advised to go to the slot machine booth, where he exchanged $2,700 in $20 bills for $100 bills, all in violation of regulations.