An alleged embezzlement scheme involving multiple former employees of William Hill was disrupted by detectives from the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). The Nevada sportsbook operator was able to identify the culprits as each transaction and its associated picture were saved by every William Hill kiosk.
According to documents discovered by local CBS affiliate KLAS, Shravan Singh and Paige Steiner are charged with stealing from William Hill sportsbooks. KLAS TV station reports that other individuals involved in the scheme have yet to be arrested and cannot currently be identified.
Theft Ring Involves Multiple Parties
The employees at William Hill utilized their computer program to deposit money into kiosks owned by the company. These in-house employees then used mobile phones to inform others which sportsbook kiosks they should visit.
Singh was in charge of supervising cash adjustments over $500 at William Hill. He failed to report any financial irregularities to his superiors. As he was orchestrating the theft, it was not immediately noticed by his supervisors.
An internal audit revealed the theft, with Singh identified as the ringleader. The partners were involved in illicit transactions ranging from a mere handful to hundreds.
The partners in this crime would print and redeem kiosk tickets for cash once the kiosks scattered across Nevada had surplus money.
The following statement about the investigation was added by Kristi Torgerson, Chief of the Board’s Enforcement Division:
The Board values licensees who fulfill their responsibility to probe and self-report possible statutory and regulatory infringements, as well as purported criminal activities. The Enforcement Division will persist in its assertive approach to investigations and undercover operations to maintain the gaming industry’s freedom from criminal elements. This unwavering dedication aims to preserve the integrity of regulated gaming in Nevada.
The complete statement can be found here.
Singh And Steiner Face An Array Of Charges
The report reveals that William Hill handed Singh over to investigators on Jan. 19, following his execution of fraudulent cash adjustments on 166 different occasions.
During the specified dates, there were 3,000 individual theft occurrences. Singh is to be charged with embezzlement, forgery, computer data alteration, and conspiring to embezzle.
Steiner, his primary accomplice, is facing 290 charges related to this plot. She was presented before the Las Vegas Justice Court on February 9 and was allowed to leave without bail, under her own recognizance. Singh is set to be charged with embezzlement, forgery, alteration of computer data, and conspiracy to commit embezzlement.
The report alleges that a team of thieves stole over $70,000 from William Hill. Another report alleges that Singh embezzled a sum of $280,000 starting from 2021.
The detective report delved further, stating:
The annual reports from Singh and his accomplices provide no valid reason for their frequent presence at numerous kiosks, where they were seen withdrawing vouchers and cashing out significant amounts of money. None of the accused had any betting history to indicate they had won thousands of dollars. Thus, I inferred that the sole reason they were seen at these kiosks was to aid Singh in defrauding William Hill.
Caesars owns William Hill, which runs over 100 sportsbooks across Nevada. The company did not respond to KLAS’s attempts to get further comments on the issue.
Related Articles
Nevada Gambling, Tourism Numbers Grow Again In February
