Ming Zhang of Alexandria, Virginia, a former baccarat dealer at MGM National Harbor in Maryland, recently pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiring to transport stolen funds. Zhang had helped players steal more than $1 million in exchange for a cut of the proceeds.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Pulice, Zhang would expose part of a baccarat deck to a player , who then photographed the unshuffled cards before that player and other “conspirators” placed large bets on hands. Pulice said bettors can predict the outcome of baccarat hands “with near-perfect accuracy” if they know the order of cards in a deck. The casino lost a total of $1,046,560 due to the scheme, Pulice stated.
MGM National Harbor spokesman Malik Husser confirmed Zhang had worked for the casino. “Ming Zhang is no longer employed by MGM National Harbor. We have provided our full cooperation with authorities throughout this investigation,” Husser said.
Zhang’s sentencing is scheduled for January 31, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Paul Grimm.
Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency spokeswoman Carole Gentry said the agency is in the process of revoking Zhang’s license.
