A California federal judge is ordering convicted illegal gambler David Stroj to answer for violating the terms of his supervised release by admitting to gambling at three Las Vegas casinos, according to a summons issued for Stroj to appear in court in June.

“It came to the attention of this officer in January 2022 that Mr. Stroj was playing in Las Vegas, Nevada, without this officer’s knowledge or approval,” federal probation officer Tina Neiman wrote in the convocation.

Gambler RJ Cipriani, also known as Robin Hood 702, says he saw Stroj playing blackjack at Resorts World last year and reported it to Neiman, the FBI and the Nevada Gaming Control Board in January.

Cipriani was arrested last November after taking a cellphone from Robert Alexander, who Cipriani says harassed him for weeks by taking video of him gambling at Resorts World casino. He says he is target by District Attorney Steve Wolfson at the request of Resorts World executives, who he says are angry at Cipriani for bringing the hotel to the attention of law enforcement.

Stroj, according to the subpoena, admitted to performing in 2021 and 2022 without approval at Circa, Treasure Island and Resorts World Las Vegas.

stroj told the Current in January that he traveled frequently to Las Vegas where he worked at his family’s taco restaurants, including one at Resorts World. The dealership is owned by his father. Court documents say David Stroj is the regional manager of the taco companies.

” I played. I don’t admit to breaking the law,” Stroj told the Current on Thursday. “I thought I was following the rules.”

He says he’s not coming to Las Vegas out of caution until he appears in court for his alleged violation. He says that when he informed his probation officer about his visits to Las Vegas, he did not specify that he was gambling, but thought it was understood. He also says Resorts World executives told him in January to stay away from the property.

“David Stroj is not, and has never been, a director or owner of Tacos El Cabron,” said Rachel Wilkinson of Rogich Communications, who represents Resorts World Las Vegas. “Peter Stroj, who we learned is the father of David Stroj, is a manager. Resorts World Las Vegas conducted a full due diligence of the renter before entering into the rental agreement.

A photo on David Stroj’s social media shows his daughters in front of Tacos El Cabron, “checking out their new restaurant in Las Vegas.”

“Mr. Stroj’s family recently opened a restaurant at Resorts World Casino, located in Las Vegas,” Neiman wrote in the summons, adding that the family is considering opening another restaurant in Las Vegas. Mr. Stroj to frequent Las Vegas and will also require future trips.”

Stroj was already a three-time convicted bookmaker when federal agents stopped he and two dozen others charged in 2015 as part of a $10 million illegal gambling ring, which laundered proceeds at various casinos between 2013 and 2015, including Wynn Las Vegas and the Bellagio, and a surety company he owned in Las Vegas, according to court documents.

Stroj’s illegal sports betting clients would write checks to casinos in California and Nevada, where funds could be deposited into players’ accounts and possibly withdrawn in the form of casino chips, the government claimed. The money laundering charges were eventually dropped.

Then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris praised federal agents and prosecutors for the indictment, which not only implicated 25 people, but also two Southern California casinos.

“These casinos are alleged to have engaged in illegal money laundering and gambling schemes that undermine the well-being of our communities,” Harris said. mentioned following the indictment of Stroj and his co-defendants in 2015.

Casinos, like banks, are required to know their customers and the source of their funds in order to prevent money laundering, the practice of taking proceeds of illegal activities and using them in seemingly legitimate transactions. , with the aim of concealing the true origin of the money.

Casino compliance departments are responsible for identifying potentially unwanted customers who may be engaging in money laundering.

Resorts World said it was in compliance with regulations. Treasure Island and Circa did not respond to requests for comment.

In 2018, Stroj accepted a plea deal. At sentencing later that year, his attorney, Joseph Low, told Judge Marilyn Huff that his client had been blacklisted from casinos on the Strip.

“He can go to a tournament in Vegas and one, maybe two casinos, like Red Rock and I think the other one can be the Palms,” Low said. “All the other casinos blew it. It’s not even allowed in card rooms here in California anymore, even though it was for a while, while on remand. It’s since been shot down. black.

Huff sentenced Stroj to 18 months in prison. The conditions of his probation provide that he “not engage in gambling or sports betting, or frequent casinos or gambling establishments, without the prior approval of the probation officer of the court”.

He now undertakes not to play at all in order to remain on probation, according to the summons.

Huff recently denied Stroj’s motion to end his supervised release early, citing public safety.

“The game is open to all members of the general public, unless they are on the Excluded List (‘Black Book’) or have ‘self-excluded’,” says Nevada attorney and former member Jeff Silver. Gaming Control Board. “There is no obligation to monitor the conditions of parole or probation. That said, if the customer has informed the casino that they are legally barred from gambling, this could serve as a self-exclusion notice.

Stroj is not on Nevada’s disqualified list.

Note: This story is updated with commentary from David Stroj. The original version of this story stated that Stroj had been convicted of money laundering. Although his lawyer admitted that his client had engaged in money laundering, he was not convicted.