Former Tulalip casino worker charged with theft

Published 10:23 pm Friday, May 1, 2009

TULALIP — A former supervisor of a customer incentive program at the Tulalip Resort Casino has been charged with stealing $20,000 from customers’ rewards accounts.

Tribal member Walter Anthony Moses, 27, was charged Thursday in U.S. District Court in Seattle with theft by an employee of a gaming establishment on Indian land, said Emily Langlie, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Moses was fired on May 22, 2008, from his job as a Rewards Club supervisor, she said.

A casino patron in May 2008 complained that $500 was missing from her Rewards Club points accounts, Langlie said. Customer earn points based on the amount of gambling they do. The points can be redeemed for merchandise, food or cash.

Investigators used that tip to determine that Moses allegedly had debited points from a number of customers. Surveillance video showed Moses allegedly distributing points vouchers to a relative who cashed it in.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Tulalip Police Department.

Moses was released on a personal recognizance bond, Langlie said.