Former RWS casino dealer stole chips worth at least S$77,000, bought branded goods

SINGAPORE — A former dealer from a casino at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) took at least S$77,000 worth of S$1,000 cash chips, asked a friend to help him cash some of them out, and used the money to buy luxury goods for himself and his girlfriend.

His spending spree included a Breitling watch worth almost S$6,000, a pair of Balenciaga shoes and a pouch, and S$400 Chanel earrings. He also bought an Apple iPad mini and an iPhone.

On Thursday (June 20), Ding Zhipeng, a Chinese national, was sentenced to nine months and six weeks’ jail and fined S$12,000.

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty in the State Courts to one charge of criminal breach of trust, one charge under the Casino Control Act and one charge under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act. Thirteen similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

The court heard that Ding had been employed at RWS since July 2017. At his assigned gaming tables, he looked after casino cash chips kept in the float — that is, trays where the chips were kept.

He began stealing casino cash chips from the float sometime in May or June 2018, when there were no patrons at his gaming table.

His offences were finally discovered on Nov 12, 2018, when a surveillance operator spotted Ding taking S$1,000 cash chips from the float. The operator then called the police.

Officers seized 72 chips and S$3,000 in cash from Ding’s rental room when they searched it later that evening. He surrendered another two chips that he had kept inside his pants when he was arrested.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tay Jia En noted that Ding had misappropriated a large amount over an extended period of time.

He showed premeditation by stealing the chips when his supervisor was not looking, the prosecutor added, and he used a friend to cash out the chips because he would attract suspicion by doing it himself.

In mitigation, Ding’s lawyer John Koh told the court that his client was stressed and “resorted to improper channels to make extra money”, while working long hours to get earnings for his family back in China.

Most of the money was eventually recovered, Mr Koh added.