The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board handed down record fines totaling $1 million to Mohegan Sun Pocono.
The casino was levied a fine of $550,000 stemming from an investigation into a scheme aided by a casino executive, a cocktail server and her boyfriend that authorities say stole more than $420,000 from Mohegan Sun Pocono in 2014 and 2015.
Waitress Rochelle Poszeluznyj recorded the names and loyalty club personal identification numbers of players while she served them drinks. Poszeluznyj would then pass on the information to Vice President for Player Development Robert Pellegrini. Pellegrini used the info to print duplicate player club cards. He then loaded them up with free play credits. He would then pass these on to local gambler Mark Heltzel.
All three are serving a prison sentence or are on probation.
The $450,000 fine was for doing business with unlicensed firms that operate restaurants in the casino and sell vouchers for dining and slot play.
In other news involving the casino a county judge ruled last week that the assessed value for the Mohegan Sun Pocono casino property in Plains Twp. should remain $152.5 million, the value determined by Luzerne County assessors.
Both Mohegan Sun and the Wilkes-Barre Area School District appealed the assessment amount, and can appeal Judge Thomas F. Burke Jr.’s decision to a state appellate court.
District Solicitor Raymond Wendolowski said Monday he has not yet received a copy of Burke’s decision and will discuss whether to appeal Burke’s decision with school board members.
