 | Monk caught up in Casino chip scam < Back to news index |
A buddist monk has walked free from court after being involved in a scam on a popular London Casino.
Pathun Saumalbandara, 31 from Willesden, Greater London, attempted to carry out “colour chip fraud” – trying to cash in worthless chips that have been sneaked into the casino. The monk was caught after cashing in £475 of fake chips at the Palm Beach Casino in Mayfair on April 1st. What must have seemed a bad April fool’s joke to Casino security was actually an attempt to make off with some easy cash from the casino.
Timothy Clark, prosecuting, said: "Casino employees spotted the scam and Sapumalbandaran was arrested while quickly leaving the establishment with the winnings."
Police searched Sapumalbandaran's home and found a bag containing more fake chips, an Italian passport, a driving licence and three Sri Lankan passports in a false name.
Mr Clark said: "Possessing the chips is not a crime, but the clear inference for a man with his record in the casino trade is he had them for the purposes of carrying out colour chip scams."
Sapumalbandaran was previously been banned from several major casino establishments, including the Palm Beach, but managed to get back in using false ID.
During his hearing Sapumalbandaran pleaded guilty to fraud and two charges of possession of forged documentation.
Gordon Shine, defending, said his client was a Buddhist monk who entered Britain legally, but used forged documents to give in to his gambling addiction.
Judge James Wadsworth let Sapumalbandara walk free from court, but gave him an eight-month sentence suspended for two years on condition he does not enter any bookmakers or casinos.
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