Seven indicted for cheating at Horseshoe Casino Cleveland

CLEVELAND - Seven people have been indicted on one count of gambling after authorities say they were caught cheating at the Horseshoe Casino.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason, along with the Ohio Attorney General's Office and the Ohio Casino Control Commission said Tuesday the following seven people were found cheating at the casino between May 22 and June 17:

- Nidal Abuaun, 49, of Lakewood
- Nathaniel Emory, 40, of Cleveland
- Russell Heidenreich, 46, of Cleveland
- Aaron Higdon, 29, of Cleveland
- Philip Koch, 54, of Lakewood
- Theodore Shepherd, 53, of Cleveland
- Louis Wilkerson, 30, of Akron

"From the very beginning we warned the would-be cheaters that our gaming agents, working under the Casino Control Commission, were all highly trained to spot casino crooks," said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine in a news release. "These indictments show that if someone comes into one of Ohio's casinos planning to cheat, they should think twice."

The defendants were caught cheating on different casino games, including Blackjack, Texas Hold’Em, Roulette and Craps, authorities said.

The alleged cheating was carried out by methods such as past posting, making a bet after the time allowed, capping or stacking a bet, adding chips to a bet after a good outcome was predictable, or removing bets on losing hands or rolls.

The gambling charge is a felony of the fifth degree.