A Mississippi magician known by the stage name “Shaun Mistery” has been sentenced to a decade in prison for orchestrating a casino fraud scheme in Iowa.
Shaun Benward received multiple sentences totaling 10 years after being convicted of felony money laundering, cheating at gambling games and conspiracy. The sentencing followed his conviction for exploiting a casino in Iowa for personal financial gain.
Authorities said the crimes occurred Dec. 16, 2018, at Grand Falls Casino. Law enforcement officials and casino staff reported that Benward fraudulently obtained more than $10,000 in improper payouts through deceptive tactics.
Investigators said he also attempted to avoid IRS reporting requirements by structuring more than $12,000 in transactions into smaller amounts. According to authorities, Benward changed outfits multiple times and used different casino tellers in an effort to avoid detection.
Court records indicate the Iowa conviction was not Benward’s first. He has prior convictions for similar offenses dating back to 2015 in several states, including Pennsylvania, Delaware, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Rhode Island and Nevada.
Prosecutors argued the pattern demonstrated a long-running scheme targeting casinos across multiple jurisdictions. Benward will now serve his sentence under Iowa court supervision.
