A Kazakhstani power couple, Dilnoza Israilova and Alisherykhoja Israilov, are facing serious charges after allegedly using a hidden camera and earpieces to cheat their way to a whopping $1.18 million win at Sydney's Crown casino.
The pair, who had travelled from Kazakhstan in October last year, were identified as suspicious winners after their rapid rise to fortune sparked alarm at the casino. Upon further investigation, police discovered that the couple was using a miniature camera hidden in a Mickey Mouse T-shirt to capture images of the table and receive instructions through "deep-seated earpieces".
According to NSW police, the couple's mobile phones were fitted with small probes, batteries, and cameras that allowed them to discreetly view, capture, or record images. Officers also seized a custom-made mirror attachment for their phone, highlighting the extent of their sophisticated cheating operation.
The pair's winning streak, which spanned several weeks in October and November, was so large that it raised suspicions at Crown casino. Investigators believe that the couple communicated using earpieces to receive instructions on how to wager on various card games, ultimately allowing them to cheat the casino out of $1.18 million.
Police have charged Dilnoza Israilova and Alisherykhoja Israilov with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception. The pair were refused bail and are set to appear in court again next month.
The brazen cheating scheme was uncovered after casino staff spotted the woman wearing a small, discrete camera attached to her shirt on Thursday. Upon further investigation, police discovered other evidence of their cheating operation, including high-end jewellery and €2,000 in cash found at their Sydney accommodation.
Organised crime squad commander Det Supt Peter Faux said that the strong cooperation between police and casino security was crucial in detecting and preventing such unlawful behaviour. "Our detectives collaborate closely with casino security to identify and disrupt unlawful behaviour," he said. "This strong cooperation is vital to maintaining the integrity of gaming operations."
The pair, who had travelled from Kazakhstan in October last year, were identified as suspicious winners after their rapid rise to fortune sparked alarm at the casino. Upon further investigation, police discovered that the couple was using a miniature camera hidden in a Mickey Mouse T-shirt to capture images of the table and receive instructions through "deep-seated earpieces".
According to NSW police, the couple's mobile phones were fitted with small probes, batteries, and cameras that allowed them to discreetly view, capture, or record images. Officers also seized a custom-made mirror attachment for their phone, highlighting the extent of their sophisticated cheating operation.
The pair's winning streak, which spanned several weeks in October and November, was so large that it raised suspicions at Crown casino. Investigators believe that the couple communicated using earpieces to receive instructions on how to wager on various card games, ultimately allowing them to cheat the casino out of $1.18 million.
Police have charged Dilnoza Israilova and Alisherykhoja Israilov with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception. The pair were refused bail and are set to appear in court again next month.
The brazen cheating scheme was uncovered after casino staff spotted the woman wearing a small, discrete camera attached to her shirt on Thursday. Upon further investigation, police discovered other evidence of their cheating operation, including high-end jewellery and €2,000 in cash found at their Sydney accommodation.
Organised crime squad commander Det Supt Peter Faux said that the strong cooperation between police and casino security was crucial in detecting and preventing such unlawful behaviour. "Our detectives collaborate closely with casino security to identify and disrupt unlawful behaviour," he said. "This strong cooperation is vital to maintaining the integrity of gaming operations."
those two gotta face the music now! 1.18 million bucks sounds like a big win, but cheating's just not cool 
it's like they thought they were above the law or something. anyone can get lucky at the casino, but cheating's never gonna feel good in the end. hope the authorities crack down hard on this guy and girl duo 
! I mean, who tries to cheat their way to a million dollars at a casino? It's just ridiculous. And the level of sophistication they had, using tiny cameras and earpieces to communicate with each other... it's like something out of a movie 
. I'm glad the police were able to catch them in the act and now they're facing serious charges 
. The fact that they thought they could get away with this and have such a big win is just amazing 
. I hope they get what's coming to them, but at the same time, it's crazy to think about how much planning and coordination went into pulling off such an elaborate scheme 
Can you believe this Kazakhstani power couple thought they could outsmart the system? I mean, who needs a cheat code when you've got Mickey Mouse earpieces 
and tiny cameras hidden in your T-shirt? They must have thought they were in a Bond movie or something. And €2,000 in cash just chillin' in their hotel room like it's nothing... 
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, they were literally cheating their way to a million dollars! i mean, who uses earpieces in a casino? that's just crazy 
. i feel bad for the casino tho, they got duped out of 1.8 mil 
.
! It's like something out of Ocean's Eleven 
. Cheating in casinos is so last season (like, who even cheats? 
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. I mean, can you imagine being in a situation where someone cheats their way to a life-changing amount of money? It's like, they lost all sense of fair play and respect for others. And to think that they got away with it for so long... wow 
. But I'm glad the authorities stepped in and brought them down 
. It just goes to show that there are still good people working hard to keep our casinos and other public places safe 
. The fact that the casino staff spotted that tiny camera hidden in a Mickey Mouse tee is just crazy 
Anyway, I hope they get a good sentence and learn their lesson 
.
anyway its good that the cops caught them and now theyre gonna face the music 
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. I mean, who needs cheaters when you can just be legit and enjoy the games?
. I mean, who wears a Mickey Mouse T-shirt with a hidden camera? 
It's just too much to believe. And the fact that they had earpieces and probes in their phones is just ridiculous 
. The police did the right thing by catching them and charging them with something serious 
. I hope they get a good punishment for what they did. It's not cool to cheat your way to success like this 
as a camera? It's just wild! I'm not saying they didn't get lucky, but that's some next-level cheating right there. And €2,000 in cash and high-end jewelry found at their place? That's some serious haul 
.