[OLD HEAD]

No 'bluffing' when police busted a high stakes poker game at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City.

When police raided the room they also found high-tech surveillance equipment that allowed the operators to rip off the other players in the game.

The main arrest was Steve Forte,a Las Vegas gambling consultant who is an internationally recognized expert on ways to thwart casino cheaters. He also is the author of Casino Game Protection described on his web site as a comprehensive guide covering the intricacies of casino scams and strategies.

Peter Aseltine,a spokesman for the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office,said Forte and his alleged co-conspirators,set up private big-money poker games at Borgata to cheat unsuspecting players.
The "cheating crew" used strategically placed surveillance cameras to peek at the players hole cards. That information was was secretly relayed to an accomplice who wore an undetectable radio receiver in his ear.
Aseltine also said that computer programs and marked playing cards were used to enhance their chances of winning.
"They were involved in a high-tech cheating scam that utilized sophisticated
video and audio equipment,along with laptop computers",Aseltine said.
The investigation is continuing and could lead to other casino jurisdictions including Las Vegas.

Forte is the president of a consulting firm called International Gaming Specialists. He also has acted as an adviser for "Dateline NBC",the "Discovery Channel"and the movie "Rounders".
He also produced a four part video to"help protect all those who play in private games from card and dice cheaters".
Forte and his "cheating crew" are charged with using a computer and cheating devices to commit theft,attempted theft by deception and conspiracy.

The other members of the "crew" are Joseph T. Ingargiola,50 of Playa del Rey,Calif.,Stephen Phillips,52,of Las Vegas,and James Calvin Harrison,41,of Duluth Minn.

These games were private and not connected to the Borgata's regular poker play.
Even though not connected, it was happening at the same time Borgata was hosting a $1.7 million poker tournament for over 300 players.
Spokesman Dave Coskey, Borgata's vice-president of marketing said the tournament was untouched by the cheating scam.
"To the best of my knowledge,they were not targeting our tournament",Coskey said."It was off the gaming floor. It was not affecting our gaming at all".

The next time you sit down at a poker table, private or public, ask the guy with the ear phones to please remove them. The lady with the phone and the other guy with the i pod,ditto. With todays technology anything is possible,and if you think that nice cute chick wouldn't cheat, think again,money makes people do some weird things, cheating is just one of them.