Mississippi ‘magician’ may be added to Nevada’s ‘Black Book’

A man convicted of cheating at roulette in several states and has been kicked out of 17 Nevada casinos has been nominated to the state’s List of Excluded Persons.

Mississippi resident Shaun Joseph Benward, a self-described magician and illusionist who worked with an accomplice to distract roulette dealers in a scheme to steal money from casinos, would be placed on the list, commonly known as the “black book” if the Nevada Gaming Commission concurs.

It’s unclear when the commission will consider the nomination because Benward has the right to a hearing.

Benward was notified of potentially being nominated to the list, but did not attend Wednesday’s board meeting.

According to Senior Deputy Attorney General Michael Somps who summarized accusations for the board, Benward would normally take a position away from the roulette wheel, eventually gain the confidence of the dealer through conversation, then move closer to the wheel to attempt to place a bet late in a game and convince the dealers they had placed his chips on the wrong number. The accomplice would back up the story and flustered dealers would allow the bet to be played.

Benward tried the scheme over and over, traveling from state to state and casino to casino. Companies alleged Benward cheated them out of thousands of dollars.

He executed the scheme and was arrested and convicted in multiple states, but he was often freed and released from incarceration.

Benward was placed on exclusion lists in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Michigan and Missouri. He also was convicted or arrested by authorities in New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana and Rhode Island as well as Nevada.

Somps said Benward was kicked out of nine Las Vegas casinos in July and August 2020. He was booted from a Lake Tahoe casino as recently as this year and he was removed from a total of 17 Nevada casinos over the years.

Somps explained in his presentation that it would only take one instance of being convicted of crimes involving violation of gaming laws or crimes involving moral turpitude, or having a notorious or unsavory reputation or one instance in which he violated a court order to stay out of casinos, but he satisfied all four criteria for possible exclusion.

“Certainly the enforcement division has had quite a bit of contact with this gentleman and law enforcement in general has had extensive contact with this gentleman and your presentation lays that all out,” Gaming Control Board Chairman Kirk Hendrick told Somps.

“It would only take one criterion to make him suitable for nomination. He’s actually exceeded that fourfold and becomes an excellent candidate for somebody who should not be involved or allowed to enter into Nevada’s gaming establishments that have anything beyond slot machines.”

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.