Steve Forte BUSTED in Elaborate Cheating Scam

[zengrifter]

George Knapp, Chief Investigative Reporter
I-Team Exclusive: Poker Cheating Scheme

July 18, 2007 06:21 AM

It sounds like the plot of one of those flashy casino heist movies -- a team of thieves, armed with high tech equipment concocts a scheme to steal vast sums of money from big shot gamblers.


Among those arrested as part of the
scheme was Las Vegas gaming consultant
Steve Forte, regarded as a world class expert
n countering cheaters.

It really did happen, although law enforcement officials are still unwilling to talk about it. Gaming agents in New Jersey arrested four suspects, including a Las Vegas man known internationally as an expert in how to thwart casino thieves.

In late June, the elegant Borgata in Atlantic City launched the largest poker event in the town's history, a $5,000 per-person buy in tournament with 337 players vied for $1.7 million. But someone else was after the money as well; a team of high tech cheats with a scheme worthy of Oceans 11.

...more - http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=6804075

[zengrifter]

This is quite a shocker. zg
-----------
"Forte has told friends that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time,
intimating that he was in the room with the alleged cheaters because he
wanted to observe their methods and was not part of the scheme."

[glovesetc]

They can nail him with conspiracy , and for good measure a case of rackteering as well . Dumb on his part for sure !!!!

[zengrifter]

Conspiracy for sure. zg

[LVBear584]

All we know so far is what the media has said that law enforcement said. I think we all know that media and law enforcement are not always reliable sources of accurate information. I would prefer to wait until evidence is presented in a proper forum before forming opinions about guilt.

[shadroch]

What I find strange is that as far as I can tell,the Borgota event was not being taped for tv. Why would they even have lipstick cameras in such an event?

[zengrifter]

Aug. 12, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

CASINO SECURITY: With arrest, a career dangles

Anti-cheating consultant suffers damaging blow to credibility

By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY
REVIEW-JOURNAL

In the big money world of casino security, Steve Forte played like a high roller.

Harrah's Entertainment, the world's largest gaming company, bought copies of his books and videos to give to employees.

Forte's Web site boasts of consulting work with gaming companies and law enforcement agencies around the world that would have made him privy to the gambling industry's most sensitive secrets.

"The rest of us are small change compared to him," said Bill Zender, a gaming consultant for Last Resort Consulting and a longtime friend of Forte. "There is nobody out there in the industry right now that you can put on the same level."

But Forte's reputation took a heavy hit with his June 7 arrest in Atlantic City for allegedly conspiring to scam high-stakes poker games in a private room at the Borgata.

The arrest sent shock waves from the New Jersey to Nevada and shook the close-knit casino security consulting industry.

"It completely destroys whatever consulting career he had," said Richard Marcus, self-proclaimed former casino cheat struggling to start a consulting business. "For Steve himself, it is terrible."

Forte did not respond to requests for an interview, but friends say he maintains his innocence.

A closer look at Forte's past reveals this is not his first run-in with the law in New Jersey -- or Nevada.

...more - http://www.lvrj.com/business/9112526.html


.

[Gordon Gekko]

>> This is quite a shocker. zg <<

Indeed! Have there been any updates?

gg

[Sonny]

I was just reading through his Casino Game Protection book again and found something ironic. The second sentence of the preface:

“If a concept was designed, worked out, played, or dreamed of, and had anything to do with beating the casino - legally or otherwise – I've probably been there. Or close to it.”

How creepy.

-Sonny-

[Mimosine]

who knows what this means.

he could probably turn it around and say he "was doing research" on the next generation of cheating techniques.

though who the hell would let him in on their jig, knowing only that he'd report on it - unless they didn't know who he was...

what a bizarre story - i only hope that casino's start selling their copies of casino game protection on half.com for CHEAP because of this!