"Nevada gambling regulator extradites suspect facing felony cheating charges"

A man, identified by law enforcement as a serial casino scammer, was recently extradited to face multiple felony charges. This criminal case centers around a Mississippi resident, who was wanted for violating the Nevada Gaming Control Act.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB), the state's gambling authority, announced that Shaun Benward, accused of participating in a multi-state casino fraud scheme, has been successfully extradited from an Iowa correctional facility to Nevada. Benward, originally from Mississippi, was arrested in April 2025 due to outstanding warrants in Iowa. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation's Special Enforcement Operations Bureau had been looking into his actions since 2018, revealing that Benward had conducted a series of fraudulent acts at the Grand Falls Casino in Larchwood, Iowa. He managed to deceive casino staff, making off with more than $10,000, and strategically avoided IRS reporting by splitting over $12,000 in transactions and changing his attire to go unnoticed on the casino floor. Following his April 2025 arrest, Benward faced convictions on multiple felony charges, including five counts each of money laundering and cheating at gambling games, along with one count of conspiracy to commit a felony. An Iowa court sentenced him in February to ten years in prison for his fraudulent activities at the casino. Despite his conviction, the legal troubles for this Mississippi man continue, as Nevada also sought him on three felony counts of Fraudulent Acts and three counts of Conspiracy to Violate the Nevada Gaming Control Act. NGCB's Enforcement Division Chief, Kristi Torgerson, emphasized the board's dedication to tracking down offenders: The NGCB remains fully committed to locating offenders, wherever they may be, to ensure they are brought to justice. The NGCB expressed its gratitude to Iowa law enforcement for their assistance in the matter. Benward is now on Nevada's List of Excluded Persons, also known as the Black Book, which bans individuals from entering casinos. He was added to this list in December 2023 after multiple violations of Nevada's gambling laws, having been trespassed from 17 casinos statewide. The Black Book addition preceded the felony charges in Nevada. The NGCB stated that the criminal case is ongoing, and more information will be provided as it becomes available.