Casino workers guilty of stealing $5m

Two women have been sentenced to prison and another six people have pleaded guilty to stealing more than US$5 million from a Florida casino.

US.- A federal judge in Miami has sentenced two women to federal prison for stealing more than US$5 million from a casino.

Lester Lavin, 44, a former worker at the tribal casino Miccosukee Resort & Gaming in Miami, was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in prison. Her girlfriend Anisleydi Vergel Hermida, 31, was sentenced to six months.

Three of Lester’s former co-workers at the casino and their respective spouses have also pleaded guilty and are due to be sentenced by the end of next month.

According to prosecutors, between January 2011 and May 2015, the casino workers tampered with gambling machines at the casino run by the Miccosukee tribe to obtain credit vouchers that could be exchanged for cash.

The women then used the money to purchase real estate, vehicles, to make investments and for their children’s prepaid college funds, officials said.