Scandals
Magician Casino Scammer ‘Shaun Mistery’ Extradited to Nevada
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- Authorities allege Shaun Benward distracted roulette dealers with conversation before disputing chip placements after winning numbers were revealed
- Investigators say he changed his appearance between casino visits and used accomplices to pressure dealers during disputed wagers
- Already serving a 10-year Iowa prison sentence Benward is accused of casino cheating and fraud offenses across multiple US states
A prolific casino cheat and stage illusionist who used misdirection techniques from his magic act to swindle roulette games across America has been extradited to Nevada to answer for his alleged crimes, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB).
In February 2026, Shaun Benward, aka “Shaun Mistery,” of Mississippi, was sentenced to a decade in prison for a “series of fraudulent acts” at the roulette tables of the Grand Falls Casino in Larchwood, Iowa, in 2018.
In Nevada, he faces three felony counts of fraudulent acts and three felony counts of conspiracy to violate the Gaming Control Act, having been trespassed from 17 of the state’s casinos, according to the NGCB. The magician was added to the state’s notorious Black Book, a list of individuals blackballed from all of its casinos, in December 2023.
Trick Revealed
While the NGCB did not go into detail about his cheating methods, citing future legal proceedings, according to various law-enforcement accounts his M.O. typically involved social manipulation and creating confusion.
He deliberately distracted dealers by striking up conversations as betting closed, then challenged the position of his chips after the winning number was revealed.
Authorities allege he sometimes worked with an accomplice, who would support his version of events and insist the dealer had made an error, adding pressure during disputes over contested wagers.
To evade detection, investigators say Benward frequently changed clothes and modified his appearance between casino visits, allowing him to return repeatedly without being recognized by staff or surveillance teams.
Prosecutors also allege he structured his casino cash-outs to attract less scrutiny, redeeming winnings through multiple cashiers and breaking larger sums into smaller transactions in an effort to stay below federal currency reporting thresholds.
Disappearing Act
For scamming the Grand Falls Casino out of $10,000 in December 2018, Benward was charged with money laundering, cheating at gambling, and conspiracy. He performed a disappearing act, evading Iowa authorities for seven years before he was arrested in Mississippi in April 2025, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
In the interim, he was busy, accumulating charges in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, and Rhode Island, as well as Nevada, for offenses involving casino cheating, money laundering, and fraud.
The slippery illusionist quickly became “one of the NGCB’s highest-priority subjects,” according to Kristi Torgerson, chief of the NGCB’s enforcement division, as reported by CDC Gaming.
“The NGCB remains fully committed to locating offenders, wherever they may be, to ensure they are brought to justice,” she added.
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