Baccarat Cheating Syndicate Caught at Marina Bay Sands

A baccarat cheating syndicate was arrested in December 2022 for attempting to cheat at Marina Bay Sands Casino in Singapore. The syndicate used a member known as the 'Sorcerer' to relay card values to accomplices via a concealed earphone. The accomplices, known as 'marksmen', used an Excel spreadsheet to determine the correct strategy.

The syndicate was caught when casino staff became suspicious of their behavior. One of the syndicate members was arrested on December 24, 2022, and the rest fled to Malaysia the next day. The syndicate left behind SG$790,000 in casino chips in their hotel rooms.

Tan Kian Yi pleaded guilty to four charges under Singapore's Casino Control Act for his role as a 'marksman' in the syndicate. Hung Jung-Hao and Chai Hee Keong were also charged earlier this year for their involvement in the syndicate. Under the Casino Control Act, a person who uses a device to count or record cards dealt in the course of gaming in the casino can be jailed up to seven years, fined up to S$150,000, or both.