Canadian authorities have arrested four men in connection with a wide-ranging casino-based ATM scam.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) laid the charges following an investigation into a string of high-value withdrawals from casino-based ATMs, which triggered service disruption to ATMs across Western Canada.
According to the RCMP, the accused deployed a “coordinated scheme intended to evade detection and exploit financial institutions”, resulting in financial losses of more than CA$1m (£535,630).
As of yet, the authorities have not named the casinos affected by the alleged scam.
In total, six search warrants were executed by the RCMP’s Federal Policing Northwest Region (NWR) alongside the Edmonton Police Service and revealed evidence of fraud and money laundering.
Van Bau Ta, 39, Dennis Jones, 42, and Hisham Ismaeel, 28, have all been charged with fraud with a value of over CA$5,000 and the possession of property obtained by crime.
As well as the other two charges, Hassan Jaafar Haydar Ahmad, 37, was also charged with laundering the proceeds of crime.
During the searches, a quantity of cocaine was also discovered, and Elliot Miao, 42, was charged with possession of a classified substance for the purpose of trafficking in England.
The RCMP commented on the arrests: “This investigation demonstrates how effective collaboration between public and private agencies can play a vital role in investigating the evolving financial crime landscape.”
Alberta readies for new iGaming beginnings
The arrests highlight the need for stringent anti-money laundering rules as Alberta prepares to open its regulated iGaming market in the first quarter of 2026.
Minister Dale Nally’s Bill 48 to authorise private-sector online gambling passed the legislature in early May and received Royal Assent soon afterwards.
The measure’s framework calls for the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis to regulate the commercial gaming market while continuing to operate Play Alberta, the province’s government-operated online gambling platform.
The iGaming Alberta Act also establishes the Alberta iGaming Corporation, a new government agency that will provide oversight of the province’s commercial market for online sports betting and casino operators.
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