Police say Jiehui Huang, 49, Raymond Li, 57, and Huan Quan Yu, 59, all of San Francisco, Calif., worked together to mark and count cards during blackjack games.
The arrests followed a week-long investigation by detectives from the Delaware State Police. Police were called after casino security, surveillance and table game personnel observed the men acting suspiciously.
Authorities say Huang used a gaming chip to make indentation marks on "ten-valued" playing cards. Allegations say Yu and Li were players at the same blackjack table and attempted to use the knowledge of the marked cards to their advantage. All three suspects were taken into custody before they could cash in on their winnings.
Police say a subsequent search of Yu's rented vehicle outside the casino yielded evidence that the group of men were targeting casinos across the country. Police say they are suspected of being part of a larger organized cheating team working out of New York City and San Francisco. Members of that team have been observed at casinos on the West Coast, the East Coast and the Midwest.
Police say the three suspects are originally from New York, but were carrying driver's licenses from San Francisco, Calif.
All three were arrested at Delaware Park on several misdemeanor gaming crimes including altering a table game component, conspiracy, criminal mischief and attempted theft.
Yu posted a $3,500 cash bond on the misdemeanor charges but was held on a detainer on charges connected to crimes at several casinos in Pennsylvania. He was committed to Gander Hill Prison. Yu faces additional felony charges out of Delaware for theft, conspiracy, criminal mischief and altering a table game component.
Li and Huang were arraigned at JP Court 11 and released on unsecured bonds with a no-contact order applicable to all Delaware casinos.
