More than a year after Colorado’s largest recorded casino theft, charges have been dropped against Sabrina Eddy, a former Monarch Casino Resort and Spa employee accused of taking $500,000 from the casino vault. After a thorough investigation, the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office concluded that Eddy was the victim of an elaborate scam rather than a willing participant in the crime.
A Misunderstanding Unveiled: How Eddy Was Scammed
The investigation revealed that Eddy did not profit from the March 12, 2023, heist. Her actions were reportedly influenced by a scam that convinced her to hand over the money to a stranger, who posed as a legal representative for the casino.
Footage from the casino’s security cameras showed Eddy taking $50,000 cash bricks and placing them in a box. She then left the casino and returned shortly afterward to repeat the process, ultimately taking $500,000 in total.
The Scam: A High-Stakes Deception
Eddy explained that she received a call on the casino’s phone from someone claiming to be the casino’s head of operations. This person, along with an apparent accomplice pretending to be a cage manager, instructed Eddy to withdraw the cash for a “vendor payment issue.” She was told that the money needed to be delivered to a “lawyer” to prevent the casino from breaching a contract.
Following their instructions, Eddy drove to a local hospital, where the supposed lawyer collected the money from her vehicle. However, when Eddy tried to reconnect with her contacts, she received no response. Realizing that something was wrong, she called the casino, expressing concern that she “might be arrested.”
Security Protocols and the DA’s Decision
The high-stakes theft raised questions about security protocols. Ron Kammerzell, former head of the Colorado Division of Gaming and now a regulatory consultant, told 9News that a theft of this scale would typically require bypassing multiple layers of security.
Though Eddy acknowledged awareness of the casino’s standard procedures, she said she acted under the belief that she was following urgent instructions from a superior. This, along with evidence indicating she was manipulated by scammers, led the DA to drop the charges, citing ethical considerations.
Case Dismissed: A Costly Lesson in Casino Security
Eddy’s case serves as a reminder of the risks associated with social engineering scams, even in high-security environments like casinos. With her charges dropped, the incident sheds light on potential vulnerabilities in casino protocols and the lengths to which scammers will go to exploit unsuspecting individuals.