13 Thai nationals get jail time after cheating Marina Bay Sands of $1.37M

A scheme straight out of a Hollywood movie has landed 13 Thai nationals in Singapore prison.

Nine men and four women, aged 24 to 53, were found guilty of cheating Marina Bay Sands casino of $1.37 million, The Straits Times reported.The group were sentenced to jail sentences between 12.75 months and 17.25 months, according to the report.

Prosecutors said that in May 2013, the group worked together to steal a playing card carrier from a cabinet in the casino, taking it to a hotel room, where they laid out the cards and photographed them. Afterwards, the cards were packed back and the carrier was returned to the same cabinet.

The following day—when the carrier and cards were used in a baccarat game—six members of the group played and won over $1.37 million in three hours. The group lost some hands “so as not to show a pattern,” the news outlet reported.