Couple Posing as Courier Workers Takes $150,000 From Casino

In Missouri, police arrested a man and a woman on Sunday, accusing them of swindling $150,000 from the St. Jo Frontier Casino by posing as FedEx employees.

The incident began around 7 a.m. with a caller who contacted the casino. The caller spoke of a planned money pickup. Another person who reached the head of security introduced himself as Matthew Martinez and said the general manager had approved handing over $150,000. According to court documents, Charles E. Blaisdell (42) and Heaven L. R. Roberts (21) arrived at the casino in a black Jeep at 8:38 a.m. A security officer handed over the full amount in cash.

When employees realized the general manager had not approved such a transaction, they notified police. About two hours later, officers from the Macon County Sheriff's Office found the vehicle on Highway 36. A search turned up a six-figure amount in cash, and the pair was arrested. Both face theft charges.

Casinos have become frequent targets for scammers in recent years. Criminals often manage to obtain large sums simply by calling the casino or sending messages to employees.

A man who stole more than $700,000 from the Four Winds Casino in Michigan pleaded guilty in 2024. He claimed to be the casino's tribal chairman, asked for emergency cash, and a supervisor who believed the story left the money at a gas station in Indiana. Using a similar scheme in 2023, Erik Gutierrez Martinez (24) also pleaded guilty to taking more than $1 million from the Circa Hotel and Casino.