Suspect in Harrah’s holdup nabbed

Tuesday, July 29, 1997 | 9 a.m.

Internal Revenue Service agents have arrested the last suspect in the 1994 Harrah's hotel-casino armed robbery.

Dionne Chappelle, the girlfriend of one of the robbers, is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Chappelle was arrested without incident at a Los Angeles welfare office Wednesday, and is being held in jail without bail while awaiting extradition to Las Vegas.

The April 1994 robbery attracted national attention and prompted casinos to increase security after five Los Angeles gang members stormed Harrah's. Wearing stocking masks and threatening employees and customers with guns, they took almost $100,000. The money was never recovered.

Chappelle is accused of allowing her car to be used to commit the robbery. All other defendants are serving prison terms after pleading guilty to various charges or being convicted by a federal jury.

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