GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A man has been arrested and charged in connection to a $700,000 heist at Four Winds Casino.
On July 30, 2023, someone called the Hartford casino claiming to be the tribal chairperson, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office – Western District of Michigan (DOJ). He reportedly stated he needed money for urgent reasons.
We’re told a supervisor fell for the scam and left the casino with $700,000 in cash, delivering it to two unknown people at an Indiana gas station.
Months later, investigators determined Jesus Gaytan-Garcia was one of the people the supervisor allegedly met with, the DOJ explains. A search of the suspect’s home yielded a cash bundle bearing the word “Hartford” and the date the theft took place on its paper band.
Federal attorneys say Gaytan-Garcia was arrested four days later.
“The amount of money involved in this theft is extraordinary,” says U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Unfortunately, instances of telephone scams at casinos are on the rise across the country, impacting both tribal and commercial gaming operations. Thanks to the dedicated, joint investigation of Pokagon Tribal Police and the FBI, we were able to identify and arrest one of the perpetrators of this scheme that targeted the Hartford Four Winds Casino.”
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