Casino cheat fined $27,000

A gambler who cheated Auckland casino out of more than $100,000 has been fined $27,000 while his accomplice, a croupier, has been sentenced to four months' periodic detention. Raymond Yu, a Tongan businessman plans to sell his Auckland home to pay the fine. His lawyer, Brett Morley, told the Auckland District Court yesterday Yu had borrowed substantially to fund his gambling addiction and his finances were now "in a state of disarray." He would sell his $400,000 Mt Albert home, pay off the $271,000 mortgage, and quit New Zealand, Mr Morley said.
A jury last month found 40-year-old Yu, and casino dealer Lei Zhang, 31, guilty of three counts of cheating on a baccarat table in the casino in February last year. Yesterday Judge Simon Lockhart, QC, ordered Yu to return $110,400 worth of gaming chips he was holding when arrested and surrender his passport until the $27,000 fine was paid.


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