Lawsuit: High-stakes gambler was drugged, no memory of $75K credit at Strip casino

A high-stakes gambler claims a Las Vegas casino allowed him to gamble and take out $75,000 in credit while incapacitated, allegedly after being drugged, before being detained by security and later charged with felony fraud.

Michael Thomson, 64, of Puerto Rico, filed a federal lawsuit last week in U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada against Aria hotel-casino and its parent company, MGM Resorts International, accusing the Strip resort of negligence, unfair trade practices and malicious prosecution, among other claims.

MGM Resorts International did not respond to a request for comment. Attorneys for Thomson also did not respond.

According to the seven-count complaint, Thomson’s last memory from the night of Jan. 23, 2024, was leaving the high-limit blackjack room around midnight with a few thousand dollars in chips, intending to return to his hotel room. His next memory was waking up the following morning handcuffed to a wall in Aria’s security holding room.

Casino personnel later told Thomson he had been found sleeping in the Sky Suites lounge and allegedly lashed out when awakened by security, prompting his detention around 11 a.m. on Jan. 24, the lawsuit states.

Thomson says he was then trespassed from the property without being informed he had any outstanding casino credit, known as markers.

The complaint describes Thomson as a longtime Aria customer with a “pristine” history of repaying markers. He recalls taking out a single $10,000 marker while playing blackjack that night and repaying it at the table before leaving the casino floor.

Days later, Thomson contacted his Aria host seeking information about what had happened. He was told he had eight outstanding markers totaling $75,000 and that there was a discrepancy between the money he allegedly borrowed and his recorded wins and losses, according to the lawsuit.

Despite repeatedly requesting details, Thomson says Aria failed to provide an explanation. Months later, his bank notified him that the casino had submitted the markers for payment. Thomson instructed the bank not to honor them while he continued to seek clarification from Aria, the complaint states.

The markers were returned to the casino, five marked “Not Authorized” and three marked “NSF,” or non-sufficient funds, according to the filing.

Aria then referred the matter to the Clark County District Attorney’s Bad Check Unit, which charged Thomson in November 2024 with drawing and passing a check with intent to defraud and theft of more than $25,000 but less than $100,000.

Thomson was arrested and later agreed to pay restitution to resolve the case, which was dismissed in October, court records show.

In his lawsuit, Thomson alleges he was “deliberately, surreptitiously drugged” on the night of Jan. 23 or the morning of Jan. 24, leaving him completely incapacitated. He claims his condition would have been obvious to casino employees, yet Aria failed to intervene, seek medical attention or prevent him from gambling and executing credit instruments.

The complaint further alleges that Thomson either did not sign the markers or signed them while incapacitated, rendering them invalid. It also accuses Aria of violating Nevada gaming regulations that prohibit visibly impaired patrons from participating in gaming activities.

Thomson is seeking declaratory relief invalidating the markers, damages in excess of $75,000 and a jury trial.

Aria and MGM have not yet filed a response to the lawsuit.

Contact David Danzis at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0378. Follow @AC2Vegas_Danzis on X.