A former Encore Boston Harbor Casino baccarat dealer and a player have been convicted of collaborating in a cheating scheme that netted thousands of dollars. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office announced the conviction of Jianming Li of Delaware and Jun Na Zhang of New York on charges of cheating and swindling, as well as larceny.
The incidents, which took place across two separate evenings in late 2019, saw Li, the dealer, intentionally exposing cards to memorize them and then secretly convey the sequence to Zhang, the player. This arrangement allowed Zhang to improperly win approximately $15,000. The scheme unfolded in the high-limit section of the casino, raising questions about the vulnerabilities of even the most closely monitored gambling environments.
The details of their sentencing were released, with the Court meting out a 364-day suspended sentence for Li and a split sentence with six months to serve for Zhang. Both sentences have been suspended for two years. The Massachusettes State Police’s Gaming Enforcement Unit led the inquiry with support from various agencies including the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and the AGO’s Gaming Enforcement Division.
Brian Pearly and Joseph Posner from the AGO’s Gaming Enforcement Division are overseeing this case to enforce the Expanded Gaming Act of 2011. The Division is committed to pursuing all gaming-related financial crimes and holding those responsible accountable to protect the integrity of gaming operations in the state.
