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Sep. 19, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Welcome to the club: Slot cheat joins state's Black Book

By HOWARD STUTZ
REVIEW-JOURNAL

William Cushing
Becomes the 36th name in Nevada Black Book

A convicted slot machine cheat became the 36th name on the state's List of Excluded Persons, commonly known as the Black Book, and the first new member since 2004.

The Nevada Gaming Commission took about 15 minutes Thursday to confirm the nomination of William Cushing to the Black Book, legally barring him from entering a licensed Nevada casino. Cushing, who was indicted by a Clark County grand jury in 2007 for slot machine cheating, did not appear in his defense even though the state attorney general's office said he was notified of the hearing.

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    • Commissioners made no comments about the nomination following a 10-minute presentation by Chief Deputy Attorney General Michael Somps. Most of the discussion centered on reciting the Nevada Revised Statues covering the Black Book.

    Cushing spent time in federal prison in the 1980s for gambling-related cheating convictions against several Strip casinos. He was also convicted of cheating violations in Clark County in the 1990s.

    Somps said the convicted slot machine cheat met three criteria under Nevada law for inclusion on the list, including felony convictions and having a notorious reputation. Somps made a similar presentation in May when the Gaming Control Board nominated Cushing for inclusion.

    Two of Cushing's associates, who were convicted with him in federal court in 1985, are Black Book members John and Sandra Vaccaro.

    Commission Chairman Pete Bernhard, speaking for the five-member panel, said Cushing met the qualifications for nomination. The board voted unanimously for inclusion.

    Cushing's inclusion was the first since 2004, when two other convicted slot machine cheats were added to the list.

    The Black Book now contains 36 names that date back to the 1960s and 1970s, when organized crime controlled Nevada's casino industry. The only way a person can be removed from the list is by dying.

    The law was set up to prohibit people with felony convictions against the gaming industry from entering a casino. It's considered a gross misdemeanor if someone from the List of Excluded Persons enters a gaming establishment. Casino executives can also face disciplinary action from Nevada gaming regulators if they knowingly allow a member of the Black Book to enter the property.

    Contact reporter Howard Stutz at hstutz@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3871.



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    TimeRanger wrote on September 19, 2008 01:38 PM: Just wondering - If he has been convicted several times, what is he doing on the street? Or could it be that he is under it, as in the ways of "old" Vegas?


    hilobamacaine wrote on September 19, 2008 12:58 PM: if you hit a jackpot you are obviously cheating


    Jen wrote on September 19, 2008 10:52 AM: Jack,

    It used to be they would try magnets, use slugs instead of coin, etc...

    Now, it's more high-tech - at the Orleans a couple years ago Slot Techs figured out a way to rigg the machine (in the slot shop) into the system, put in coin have it read the coin as $100 bills and then print out tickets at $1000 a pop - as many as they wanted. They figure they cashed out a few million before it was noticed. One tech had 5 cars and two homes out of the deal -

    I haven't seen any customer scams with the new technology though, but I'm sure they're out there coming up with new ones!! Keeps us on our toes that's for sure :)


    jack wrote on September 19, 2008 10:36 AM: just how does one cheat on a slot machine?


    mauna loa wrote on September 19, 2008 06:52 AM: As tight as these machines are in Clark County, anyone that even wins a jackpot are most likly are looked at by surveillance around 50x before they even pay off. I'm surprised that the gaming commission even placed him into it, you would think will no new comers for FOUR years, they would welcome the work.


    Jen wrote on September 19, 2008 06:21 AM: If you ever want an interesting read, go look at the "black book" - Not only are the names listed "Lefty Rosenthal" but the story is there too - most of them are pretty old, from the mob days. www.gaming.nv.gov