Magician Casino Cheat ‘Shaun Mistery’ Extradited to Nevada for Multi-State Roulette Scams

A former stage magician who allegedly used his misdirection skills to defraud casinos across the U.S. has been extradited to Nevada to face charges. Shaun Benward, known by his stage name Shaun Mistery, is accused of orchestrating a multi-state cheating scheme targeting roulette tables.

Benward, who already served a 10-year prison sentence in Iowa for similar offenses, is now facing three felony counts of fraudulent acts and three counts of conspiracy in Nevada. Authorities allege he distracted dealers with conversation before disputing chip placements after winning numbers were revealed. Investigators say he often worked with accomplices to pressure dealers during disputes and changed his appearance between casino visits to evade detection.

“The NGCB remains fully committed to locating offenders, wherever they may be, to ensure they are brought to justice,” said Kristi Torgerson, chief of the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s enforcement division.

Benward’s scheme reportedly involved structuring cash-outs to avoid federal reporting thresholds, making it harder for casinos to track suspicious activity. He was previously added to Nevada’s infamous Black Book, a list banning individuals from all state casinos.

This isn’t Benward’s first run-in with the law. He was already serving time in Iowa for defrauding the Grand Falls Casino of $10,000 in 2018. Since then, he accumulated charges in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Rhode Island, and Nevada for casino cheating, money laundering, and fraud.

Benward evaded authorities for seven years after his Iowa conviction before being arrested in Mississippi in 2025. His extradition to Nevada marks a significant victory for law enforcement in the ongoing battle against casino fraud.