A former host at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Pennsylvania and a friend are facing federal charges that they conspired with a cocktail waitress to steal customers’ personal information and access their free play, netting more than 2,000 in winnings between May 2014 and April 2015.
Robert Pelligrini, the former vice president of player development at the casino, and his friend, Mark Heltzel, who dated a cocktail server at the casino, are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, multiple counts of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to the charges, the cocktail waitress, whose name was not released but is identified as an unindicted co-conspirator, accessed player loyalty cards by getting patrons’ PINs, ostensibly to ensure faster service without interrupting their play. Pelligrini, who had the authority to add free play to any loyalty card account, would allegedly then provide duplicate cards to Heltzel, who would use the cards and free play on the slots.
Heltzel reportedly won several large jackpots over a year, on a total of more than $478,000 in free play.
Pelligrini and Heltzel face maximum sentences of 20 years in prison and $500,000 fines if they are convicted.
