Croupier who helped friends win £23k in roulette scam walks free from court

A croupier at one of Britain’s biggest casinos who helped two friends win nearly £23,000 in a roulette scam smiled as he walked free from court.

Jonah Reha Bozdogan, 26, placed bets for Adeel Abbas and Faizan Zafar as the ball landed on the winning number at Aspers Casino at Westfield Stratford City.

Abbas and Zafar walked away with £875 in winnings from each of 26 games of roulette between January and March, making a total of £22,750. But casino bosses became suspicious of the croupier and put him under surveillance, catching him out as he carried out the “late betting” swindle.

“Bets were placed effectively when they knew where the ball was going to land,” prosecutor Szilvia Booker told Snaresbrook crown court. Lawrence Henderson, mitigating, said Bozdogan needed the money after racking up debts playing poker.

Handing the three defendants suspended sentences, Judge Nigel Peters QC said: “It’s always sad to see people lose their good character. Frauds and thefts are very easy to commit on your employer if you’re in charge of money. You all fell foul to temptation. Without your invitation, Bozdogan, this would not have occurred. You are the employee of Aspers, therefore you must take responsibility.

“It’s good fortune you were stopped in your tracks. Had it gone on for longer then the money would have been greater and also your sentence. It’s a serious breach of trust.”

Bozdogan, of Watford, puffed out his cheeks as the sentence was delivered, smiling with his co-defendants as they left the dock.

He along with Abbas, 29, of Waltham Forest, and Zafar, 26, from Croydon, had all admitted conspiracy to steal. They were each sentenced to 14 months in prison suspended for two years.