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StumbleWisconsin man indicted over $3.75 million Las Vegas gambling debt
Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010 | 3:56 p.m.
A Wisconsin man has been indicted by a grand jury in connection with gambling markers totaling $3.75 million at two Las Vegas casinos.
Christian Peterson is charged with drawing and passing a check without sufficient funds with intent to defraud, presumptions to defraud and theft, according to an indictment unsealed last week in Clark County District Court.
During an eight-day period in April 2008, Peterson signed three markers totaling $300,000 at the Hard Rock Hotel and a marker for $3.45 million at Caesars Palace, the indictment states. Clark County Deputy District Attorney Bernie Zadrowski said after Peterson failed to comply with a payment plan, a decision was made to move forward with a criminal case.
A lawsuit indicates the method Harrah’s Entertainment used in getting Peterson to sign the marker is being disputed by the company and the gambler.
According to a lawsuit Peterson filed against Harrah’s Entertainment in June 2008, he accuses the company of false imprisonment and inflicting emotional distress, among other charges.
The chain of events started April 20, 2008, when Harrah’s provided Peterson with a jet to Las Vegas, despite the company’s knowledge of his serious gambling problem, the lawsuit claims.
After a few days of gambling at Caesars Palace, Peterson won about $1.5 million, according to the suit. Peterson’s lawsuit doesn't mention the $3.45 million Harrah’s claims he lost during his stay.
Peterson’s Las Vegas attorney, Chris Rasmussen, said his client was heavily intoxicated while gambling and didn’t mean to extend his credit as far as he did.
On the morning of April 22, 2008, Peterson and some friends, including his Wisconsin lawyer, left the hotel casino to board the Harrah’s jet to return home, according to the lawsuit.
Peterson claims in his suit that about 45 minutes into the flight, a flight attendant informed him that the plane was going to have to return to Las Vegas for an emergency landing due to mechanical difficulties. Peterson feared for his life, according to the lawsuit.
When the plane landed, a Harrah’s Entertainment executive and attorney told Peterson he needed to sign a casino marker before leaving. With no other way to return to Wisconsin, the lawsuit claims, Peterson signed the marker.
Rasmussen said Peterson’s Wisconsin lawyer and the waitress on board the plane were witnesses to the claims made in the lawsuit.
Peterson’s June 2008 lawsuit was resolved in November 2009 with a judgment in favor of Harrah’s. Peterson was ordered to pay about $2.6 million — the remainder of his marker after his estimated $1.5 million winnings, plus interest.
Zadrowski, the Clark County deputy district attorney, said a Harrah’s Entertainment vice president testified in front of the grand jury that after repeated calls to Peterson to sign the $3.45 million marker, Peterson left Caesars Palace for the company jet at about 7 a.m. on the day of his departure, hours before his scheduled afternoon flight.
Once the casino realized Peterson had left without signing the marker, a call was made to the pilot to turn the jet around, Zadrowski testified.
When Peterson landed in Las Vegas, he was met with Gaming Control Board agents and Harrah’s executives and was told to sign the marker or he wouldn't be allowed to use the company jet to return to Wisconsin, the Harrah’s vice president said during his testimony.
If convicted, Peterson could face up to 18 years in prison. His arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 22.
"The people involved in marker cases like these aren’t criminals," Rasmussen said. "They are just people who got too drunk and took out way too much credit."
Harrah's Entertainment spokeswoman Jacqueline Peterson said the company doesn't comment on pending litigation. Hard Rock didn't return requests for comment Wednesday afternoon.
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Seems like standard operating procedure for Harrah's.
They have it down to a science.
Get em drunk and clean em out.
To tvegas, so how does Harah's getting him drunk explain the fact he went over to the Hard Rock and stiffed them for $300,000. This guy is obviously a loser and is under our state law a criminal.
To vc
I don't explain it..just seems this has happened to Harrah's customers before.
Criminal? Give me a break if the state wasn't in the pocket of the Casino's they could go whistle for the money.
In the old days, combined with drinking, the casinos used to have someone lose five, ten thousand or maybe more, and that might have been a big loss.
In this modern era these resorts bust people out for millions.
Drinking and gambling never did work out and never will.
Are adults ever going to be responsible for their own actions ever again? Don't blame Harrah's for milking this guy for all he's got - that's what they're in business for, to make money. This guy is obviously wealthy and presumably inteligent so he should have known what he was gettng into when he went to Vegas on Harrah's dime. No one FORCED him to drink and get stupid and drops hundreds of thousands of dollars. He's a big boy, time to take responsiblity for his actions and pay up! If he was drunk and had WON money he wouldn't be complaining.
The guy is not smart. He could have walked over to the terminal and paid less for a last minute flight on a commerial airliner than the "marker" if he wanted to get home.
he was probably trying to pull a fast one and get out of town before signing the marker. But I never understood why casinos give you the chips before getting people to sign the markers. seems like the signature should come first.
The guy owns a light manufacturing company, several restaurants and is a real estate developer so I'm sure he is doing just fine.
I love these stories about these unfortunate "victimized" compulsive gamblers who have been manipulated and forced to sign markers for multi millions of dollars. GIVE ME A BREAK!! these casinos should have to CONFIRM the funds availability BEFORE extending credit to ANYONE!! PERIOD!! They should stop using Nevada government agencies as their collection agencies which run on taxpayer dollars to go after these "victims" This story just shows how corporate greed, and compulsive sickness fuel the gambling machine. It's up to the Casino to cover their own behinds before a gambler can even get close to default. That's just the way it should be..
Sounds like a marker is more like an IOU than any check. But someone tweaked the law to say otherwise, then made it a bounced check-like crime and gave the local DA the power to prosecute it.
Who says organized crime doesn't still run Vegas?
State Treasurer Kate Marshall gambled away 50-million taxpayer dollars on AIG without being indicted -- hell, she's still tossing dice with the taxpayer's bankroll.
Go figure.
: {
House ALWAYS wins.. they have every judge in their back pocket. Just DONT gamble!!!!
Yeah Grandma, but then WE the taxpayers are forced to shelter, cloth, and feed him for 18 years...
Whale/Gambling addict. Casinos know this, because they fly the guy and his buddies out here on a corporate jet.
Who in their right mind FRONTS a drunk cheesehead nearly 3.5 million dollars to BLOW, (no collateral) and then goes running to the DA when he doesn't pony it up? Silly Casinos.
I say let them collect this kind of monopoly money via the civil courts if they are inclined to hand it out in the first place, & leave the rest of us off the financial hook.
Thank you..environprotector..You forgot one thing send Harrahs the bill..
"A marker is a promissory note, just like a check is a promissory note."
GrannyCrabby -- perhaps, but that's essentially a civil matter. Debtors prison was abolished at the founding of this country -- but our ever-burgeoning police state is making sure it creeps back. Job security for the DA and cops.
Another point on promissory notes -- ever notice how the line for your signature on your checks is fuzzier than the others? Get a magnifying glass and have a look. Its "IPROMISETOPAYIPROMISETOPAY ..."
This is what Vegas needs to recover. More guys to blow their millions here.
Killer, the more I drink the more you make sense. Salud!
So, by the defendant's rationale, a drunk driver can kill a busload of orphans and not be held responsible - it's Budweiser's fault for showing beer commercials, knowing fully that there are alcoholics out there.
mikegino -- drink more.
sandy_astroglide -- your analogy sucks. It's not even close. Try again and I will taunt you a second time.
Sounds like something out of the movie "Casino" when they had the plane turn around for that Asian whale KK something.
Why is it always Harrah's that is involved in these cases? Maybe Harrah's is the problem? Maybe they are too liberal with the markers and free drinks?
Frankly, I am just sick of Harrah's. Most of their hotels are complete dumps (Bally's, Flamingo, IP). Their BJ sucks -- lots of 6/5 and bad rules on the 3/2.
Makes one wonder if any previous problems had come up with Mr. Peterson paying his marker? If this was the first time Harrahs hosted him why would they allow 3.75mil on credit without at least verification of his past history of paying markers. If they did being stupid should cost something; it inspires better future decisions.
Who needs UNLV or the CCSD?
They're community liabilities compared to the Harrah institutes and the schools of "hard-rocks" which are "dealin' out" the real learning, some graduates even paying millions for the "education".
: p
The guy needs to pay up. As for harrahs, they need to lighten up on the getting em drunk and cleaning em out. Especially for that much money.
If we don't treat our guests right there not gonna be coming back anytime soon.
Wise up everybody.
Killer, debt is a civil matter. Fraud is a criminal matter. IF the DA can prove that the markers were signed with intent to defraud, then he's a criminal.
It's Miller Time!
Blame it on the booze! Maybe he should try AA.
This marker-personal check system allows the Casino to recklessly extend credit and needs to be changed. If a Casino wants to extend credit, let them use an in-house promissory note. That will force them to apply due diligence before issuing markers and it will relieve the tax payer and criminal justice system to act as their debt collectors/loan shark enforcers.
These indictments and trails cost the TAXPAYER to puruse - The casino sits back and waits for a judgement.
Grandma Crabby...were you there when the guy made the deal for credit ?...where do you get off saying it is a criminal matter ?...are you another half baked wanna be Atty ?...or do you work for the Casino's ?....What should be criminal is to allow a patron to continue to gamble when they are obviously intoxicated..
Killer B...and Gmag ..you have it right..its a civil matter period..let the casinos collect their debt like the rest of have to..
Harrahs has to figure a way to compensate the overpaid idiots Loveman,Batjer and Jan Jones.
Iccorvettee :
LAY OFF GRANDMACRABBY ! Her/his posts make more sense on these discussions than just about anyone. And yes it should be outlawed that casinos are allowing easy unchecked lines of credit to intoxicated patrons who may or may not have compulsive gambling problems.
There is a more important issue here that must be resolved. Only in the state of Nevada, and nowhere else in the country can a person be prosocuted and put in jail for not repaying a debt. It is not against the law to not repay a debt. It is a civil matter. Even the IRS cannot put a person in jail for not paying their taxes, as long as that person reports his taxes.
The state gets away with this by disguising markers as checks, and stating that the debtor has passed a bad check. This is a bunch of balony. These markers are not drawn on a specific bank, or against a specific account. Just because they use the words "pay to the order of" does not make them checks.
It is high time that someone found a way to get this issue taken up in some federal court. If a casino chooses to extend credit, and does not get paid back, it is their problem. They should take up ordinary collection efforts, just like everyone else, and not have the ability to throw someone in jail.
Opinions on the behavior of the parties aside, This is after all a legal matter and there are some interesting legal questions involved. I guess this tells us that the "signing" of the marker is what makes it a debt, or not. You obviously didn't sign a contract agreeing to something if you didn't sign anything. This must be why Harrah's wanted to get that sig so bad that they diverted a flight and managed to get the Gaming Control Board there in person?
If the marker was only valid when signed, as is a check, then while in flight he had no contractual debt to Harrah's when they effectively kidnapped a million dollar player for their own purposes. They are saying at that point that "we control we you are going".
If he then had to sign it under duress, in order to continue on his way home, then it was signed under just that condition, under duress.
How the Gaming Commissions and the Law continually act on behalf of the casinos like this is amazing.
The bum may owe the money, and a nice civil suit from Harrah's in the mail AFTER he got home is one way to resolve it.
Otherwise, we are saying that a private corporation can kidnap and effectively detain a customer at will, force them to sign a legal promissary note, and then have the state intervene and press criminal charges on their behalf. I'm not sure we want companies of any kind to have that power.
If they turned that plane around, I cant see how a court let them off without HUGE damages. My opinion.
@the Kash: Anything you sign with the intent of it being a negotiable instruments) is a check under the UCC. This is why dumbasses send the IRS a shirt with Pay to the order of and a signature every year. (The shirt of my back. Wow, that's original)
I want to know what the guy's attorney, who was on the plane with him, was doing. How the hell do you let him sign the marker? Why aren't you bringing charges against the pilots and gaming control?
"...nowhere else in the country can a person be prosocuted and put in jail for not repaying a debt."
TheKash -- yes there is. Child support -- just part of the slimy underbelly of "law."
Tvegas, it's about PERSONAL responsibility - unless Harrah's tied him down and poured the liquor down his throat he needs to 'man up' and accept responsbility...no one makes another person get drunk, unless like previous suggested, he was tied up and had the booze literally poured down his throat it's up to HIM to stay cognizant of his actions...if not then OH WELL :(...as the saying goes - pay up
"Peterson's Las Vegas attorney, Chris Rasmussen, said his client was heavily intoxicated while gambling and didn't mean to extend his credit as far as he did"
Being drunk is no excuse. This guy ever hear of "no, I've had enough"?
"With no other way to return to Wisconsin, the lawsuit claims, Peterson signed the marker."
McCarran closed that day?
"When Peterson landed in Las Vegas, he was met with Gaming Control Board agents and Harrah's executives and was told to sign the marker or he wouldn't be allowed to use the company jet to return to Wisconsin, the Harrah's vice president said during his testimony"
Goodness, sounds like the Gaming Agents AND Harrah's pulled a "Jack Bauer" and tied the guy up hanging from the ceiling and prodded him with electrical currents.
When will people learn gambling and booze, a LOT of booze, don't mix.
"...a Harrah's Entertainment vice president testified in front of the grand jury that after repeated calls to Peterson to sign the $3.45 million marker, Peterson left Caesars Palace for the company jet at about 7 a.m. on the day of his departure, hours before his scheduled afternoon flight"
Sounds like this guy had no intention of signing the marker. His "rich old arrogant self" probably thought he could get away with it because without his signature, and I'm taking a wild guess here, that $3.45 million marker wasn't valid, like a check without a signature.
To all you people talking about how bad the casinos are and how it's unfair how they run there casinos, ask yourself were would Las Vegas be if there were no casinos around. Also, if you are questioning the way markers are handeled and why they recieve chips before they sign then obviously you have never had the money to recieve a marker. Learn what you are talking about before trashing it.
Free drinks in Vegas are alive and well.
GrandmaCrabby. I only copied and pasted the post one time. There were two Sun articles dealing with Casino collections, and I thought the posting was applicable to both.
Another subject, I bet if someone pursued it, they could open an action with the FAA and get the pilots of that flight to lose their licenses.
I just want to know why Gaming Control Board agents were there with Harrahs people. No wonder we have a bad duopoly. Harrahs is running the gaming control board instead of it being the other way around.
J-LIZ 3 >> Also, if you are questioning the way markers are handeled and why they recieve chips before they sign then obviously you have never had the money to recieve a marker. Learn what you are talking about before trashing it.
<<<
Whenever I see some sad-sack getting a marker, I automatically think of a compulsive gambler who is out of control and chasing losses! I would also venture to say, most gamblers who use markers are losers at the end of the day with a newly printed coupon book to make payments for the next 20 years at 11% adjustable rate interest.
i got too drunk and blew $3.75 million. if i had a nickel for every time i've heard that one...
HARRAH'S CHEATS!!!
Since Harrah's is in bed with District Attorney Bernie Zadrowski (aka collection agency with a badge and gun) & the Gaming Control Board it has no problem continuously screwing people. Harrah's provides its high rollers with sex, drugs and booze and then cheats them out of piles of $$$ on the BJ table then gets our crooked D.A. to throw the sorry ass patron in the slammer..this is not my version of America...
i hope the FEDS put an end to this abuse of dictatorial power by the biggest thief in town....HARRAH'S and emperor Caesar...
To think if the idiot just took another flight he would not have been held captive and would have walked away scott-free!!!
HARRAH'S CHEATS...HARRAH'S CHEATS!!!!
STOP HARRAH'S NOW!!!
INDICT D.A. BERNIE ZADROWSKI!!!
INVESTIGATE THE GAMING CONTROL BOARD...
last i checked they should be working for the state not harrah's...wake up America!!!
The issue of whether the DA *could* prosecute people who defaulted on markers under NV's bad-check laws was settled back in 2000 with the Nevada Supreme Court's decision in Nguyen, but the broader issue of whether the DA *should* be doing so remains open. Obviously, Harrahs/MGM are able to hire lawyers using their own resources, something small mom-and-pop firms in Las Vegas may not be able to. Given limited public law resources, it's hard to argue that Harrahs is more deserving of subsidized legal services than Joe's Diner, other than the ground that Harrahs is far more politically powerful than Joe's. QED.
It is illegal to serve a drunk or let them gamble, or even allow them on the casino floor.
The DA does nothing for the small person or business who gets a bad check. What we need is a ballot question to outlaw casino markers.
he should have stayed and lost more and helped Vegas make a come back!
Recourse for the rich:Hire attorneys to dispute,deny and launch counter charges of how you were victimized in an attempt relieve you of your obligation to pay your gambling debts.
Doesn't getting the gaming board involved in debt collection beat the way debts used to be collected in this city?
I've got Harrahs back on this one.
the gaming control board is a state body that is entrusted by the public and funded by taxpayers to regulate the gaming industry... not to help harrah's collect signatures for unsigned markers...maybe if caesars palace did its job properly and collected the patrons signature prior to giving him $3.5Million dollars in chips then it wouldn't have to call upon the gaming control board to help collect a signature under duress....all i know is that harrah's is the big culprit once again and the feds need to move-in to break up this cartel...
He should sue Harrahs. At that rate it's going, it wouldn't be that hard to get together a class action lawsuit against them.
The best thing that could happen to Vegas would be every Harrahs property burning to the ground.
i agree 100% with Mike123...
Harrah's is the biggest criminal in town...
let's take the bully down!!!
check out this link to see just what a criminal harrahs is and how corrupt the D.A. and judges are in protecting harrahs from illegal asbestos removal from caesars for 20-years...
http://www.thebeargrowls.com/?p=602
To Grandma
33 years and never lost a case ?Puuuuulease NO ONE is that good !!
You may have worked as a clerk some place..for 33 years but I highly doubt you know the law !
AND guess what ? The law is full of grey areas ! it is the reason we have higher courts (appeals)
The DA needs to get out of the collection business, let the casinos fend for themselves !
"When the plane landed, a Harrah's Entertainment executive and attorney told Peterson he needed to sign a casino marker before leaving. With no other way to return to Wisconsin, the lawsuit claims, Peterson signed the marker."
--------------------------------------------
He can gamble millions but does not have the ability to buy a coach ticket on a flight out of McCarren?
Sorry that is not false imprisonment. At no time did they say he could not leave the area and walk away. They only said he could not use the free jet to go home.
""The people involved in marker cases like these aren't criminals," Rasmussen said. "They are just people who got too drunk and took out way too much credit.""
--------------------------------------
so I guess if you get drunk and run over people in your car, or you get drunk and punch someone or you get drunk and you kill someone, you are not a criminal either.
Voluntary intoxication is not a defense.
This clown ever heard of Greyhound?
HAHA! This is great! Another bum caught!
The Casinos would not have comp him the jet or other benefits without checking him out and knowing he was good for the amount of "credit" extended to him. The fact is he gambled, he lost and according to Nevada gaming law owes the money which he refuses to pay. Thus, he is indicted and in the end will be forced to pay up or go to prison. How he lost the money is not the Casinos fault, booze, insanity, just plain stupid, not their problem under Nevada laws. Good thing too, as its all the losers that help this state stay afloat!
A post dated check (marker) is an IOU and should be a civil matter. A legal check is considered an ORDER to a bank to pay a debt, a post dated check (marker) is simply a PROMISE to pay, simply a loan in any other state.
We should not be in the debt collection business for corporations and we do not have debtors prisons in this country.
And all of these 'personal responsibility' arguments are simply illogical. Why place that burden on the individual in this case and not the corporation? It was Harrah's free choice to loan this fool all of that money, so wasn't it their responsibility to check his credit, funds availability etc? Isn't it their responsibility to do their own debt collections? If any one else made a terrible business decision like that no one would be crying for government intervention (a government bail out essentially).
Where is the personal responsibility in this?
The law is totally clear. Bad checks are civil matters, and criminal matters at the same time. The civil part helps the victim recover the funds lost. The criminal part is is to teach the perpetrator a lesson to help him stop writing them. The criminal conviction does not do anything to recover the money the victim lost.
He should have went to world famous Club Fortune Resort and Casino. I got cut off after 4 Bud Lights and was asked to leave so I cashed in my 73 buck and left 53 dollars richer!
I am sure that the DA would drop charges if he ponies up the cash to Harrah's so YES the criminal part of the bad check law (in this case) does help recover money.
Plus these markers are not checks, once you place conditions on an instrument like a time frame, other than IMMEDIATE, (as in the case with true checks) it becomes a LOAN.
This guy has a career working for the government; they stiff us all the time, and we keep going back for more.
Oh I see, scarsii you don't enjoy any of the benefits of our tax system? The irony of saying something like that on the Internet, something that was invented by the U.S. government and paid for with tax dollars is highly ironic.
Why is it that 99% of the time these type of cases involve HARRAH'S and in particular Caesars Palace...
Ever stop and think that the real criminal here is Harrah's and the D.A. is its soldier...
why is it that Caesars engaged in illegal contruction without permits and exposed thousands of workers and guests to asbestos for 20-years and got off clean while its patrons get prosecuted for inablility to pay off their gambling debts...
please read: http://www.thebeargrowls.com/?p=602
Wonderful to live in a state where the main industry is built upon bilking your customers.
Something is wrong here. Providing Jet to Vegas, Known to have a gambling problem, Excessive Alcohol. In my mind it is clearly wrong. Now, if he would have won, it would be still wrong but glad he took them for prying on the weak.
Ya know, I think t6hat drunks shouldn't be taken advantage of but this clown cost me & my family personally. I worked for one of his Light Mfg. that he owned. He was betting my Bonus that I worked my A off for. Needless to say, I didn't get my bonus and the company went BK and I lost almost everything. I was doin' pretty good when I got here. Not anymore. And there are a couple of others who did lose everything. I'ts not just taxpayers or Harrahs that is paying. He better hope I never see him. Better yet, he better hope my wife doesn't