A notorious “brazen and determined” casino cheat – who specialised in switching and stealing roulette chips – has been jailed for using a string of false id’s to beat a nationwide ban and continuing his audacious crime spree.
Iran-born Bahram Sahami, 37, (pictured) of Coltman Street, Middlesbrough is an expert in using slight-of-hand to place bets after the ball had dropped and steal other gamblers’ chips.
He pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to three counts of fraud, three of cheating at gambling and two theft charges and was sentenced to 46 weeks’ imprisonment.
Between March and July, last year Sahami – using identity cards and driver’s licences in false names – targeted London casinos and was caught on CCTV cheating at a Gala Coral Group casino.
Police believe the defendant made between £25 and £130 per cheat or theft and committed multiple offences per night.
Detective Inspector Ann-Marie Waller, of the Metropolitan Police Service's Human Exploitation and Organised Crime Command, said: “Sahami was a brazen and determined fraudster who cheated not only the casinos but fellow punters out of hundreds of pounds a time.
“The fact that he has pleaded guilty to theft and cheating at the roulette table is unusual as these offences are difficult to prove to the standards required for criminal court.”
Since the Gambling Act 2005 came into force on 1 September 2007 there have only been two other cases where cheating has been successfully prosecuted; one in Swansea and one in London.
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