Ritz coup trio keep £1.3m

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By David Sanderson, Evening Standard
6 December 2004

Gamblers who "won" £1.3million on the Ritz hotel's roulette wheel with the help of hi-tech computer gadgetry have escaped prosecution.

The three - a Hungarian woman and two Serbian men - have been told that because their scanners only provided information and did not manipulate the equipment, there were no grounds to prosecute. Casino managers became suspicious after the trio won £1.3 million over two days in March. On the first night they won £100,000. They returned the next night to win a further £1.2 million, which they quickly cashed. After declining offers of free caviar and champagne, they departed soon afterwards.

Suspicious security experts examined CCTV footage and officers from Scotland Yard's gaming squad later arrested the three at a nearby hotel and impounded the cash and mobile phones.

The three - a 32-year-old Hungarian woman described as "chic and beautiful" and two Serbs aged 33 and 38 - were questioned and released on bail. Now they have been told that they are free to leave the country. Police sources said it was notoriously difficult to get enough evidence to prosecute people over alleged casino fraud and in this case there was no proof they had "technically" interfered with the equipment.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/15127164?source=Evening%20Standard&ct=5