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Blackjack dealer, 2 players arraigned for gaming fraud at Buffalo casino

The three were arraigned in court on one count of gaming fraud in the first degree.
Credit: kalligra - stock.adobe.com

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A former blackjack dealer and two others were arraigned on gaming fraud chargers in Buffalo City Court on Thursday.

Emily M. Torres, 20, of Lackawanna and Mark M. Watson, Jr., 28, of Buffalo were arraigned in court on one count of gaming fraud in the first degree.

Rahat Hossain, 34, of Buffalo was arraigned on August 30 on one count of Gaming Fraud in the First Degree.

Investigators say on the night of August 14 and early morning hours of August 15, Hossain and Watson fraudulently won thousands of dollars while playing blackjack at the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in downtown Buffalo.

Officials say Torres, while working as a dealer, allegedly showed Hossain and Watson the face cards before their final play, giving them an unfair advantage and allegedly violating the rules of casino gaming.

Watson repaid full restitution of $5,287.50 to the casino when he was arrested on August 16. Hossain also repaid $2,210 when he was arrested on August 21.

Torres and Watson are scheduled to return to court on October 12 for a felony hearing. Hossain is scheduled to return on October 6. If they are convicted, they could spend up to a year in jail. 

They are all released on their own recognizance and have been ordered to stay away from the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino and all other Seneca Gaming sites. 

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