A woman was arrested recently for allegedly being involved in a theft that took place at Sam’s Town Casino last summer. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the woman, identified as Rosa Barria, was suspected of stealing $750,000 from the casino.
The incident occurred on June 8, 2023, when a person pretending to be a casino employee convinced a cashier’s cage supervisor to deliver a box filled with cash to Barria at a restaurant around 3 a.m. Barria claimed that she was paid $300 by a man to pick up the box and was unaware of its contents until she received it.
The scheme began when the cage supervisor received a phone call from someone impersonating the IT director at Sam’s Town, instructing her to gather money for a supposed UPS delivery. The supervisor then drove to a Mexican restaurant in North Las Vegas to drop off the cash to Barria, who she believed was a Sam’s Town attorney.
After the incident, the cage supervisor realized she may have been scammed and reported it to casino authorities, who then contacted the police. It wasn’t until a similar scam occurred in September 2023 that the identity of the suspects was revealed.
In the second incident, a mini-mart employee was contacted by Barria and another individual to pick up a box containing $34,000. The employee, who recognized Barria from images shown by the police, revealed that the box was delivered to a house in North Las Vegas where Barria resided.
On August 2, police detained Barria at her residence and she admitted to picking up a box from a woman in a pickup truck in June 2023. She claimed ignorance about the box’s contents initially and stated that she was paid $300 by a man to collect it.
Barria is currently held at the Clark County Detention Center on a $30,000 bail and is set to appear in court on August 20. The investigation into the theft is ongoing, and authorities are working to uncover any additional details related to the case.
The theft at Sam’s Town Casino serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and caution in handling financial transactions. It also highlights the risks associated with impersonation and fraud, urging individuals to verify the identities of those they engage with in such situations to prevent falling victim to similar schemes.
