An ex-poker dealer in Cleveland has found himself in hot water after a patron accused him of stealing from the pot. He worked at the JACK Cleveland Casino at the time of the alleged offenses earlier this year.
Saliba lost his job the following day on September 7
A poker player informed casino management that the dealer, 51-year-old Jack Saliba, was stealing from the pot and players’ chip piles. Casino staff then reviewed surveillance footage to determine that the patron was telling the truth. Saliba lost his job the following day on September 7.
Saliba is facing 14 counts of violating casino gaming laws dictated by the Ohio Casino Control Commission, stealing 14 separate times in a one-month period. This is a fifth-degree felony. He is also facing a charge of misdemeanour theft, which suggests that he stole less than $1,000.
Saliba isn’t the only dealer accused of breaking the law recently. Earlier this month, a Pennsylvania blackjack dealer also found himself in trouble after dealing 192 fake hands and paying out $22,000 to players. James L. Smith faces charges of conspiracy, knowingly manipulating a game of chance, and theft by unlawful taking.