Sioux Falls Man Arrested For Casino Jackpot Scheme

Winning a big jackpot is supposed to be good luck, right?

It was anything but for a Sioux Falls man.

The Incident

Luis Mejia was playing a slot machine at Grand Falls Casino recently and was lucky enough to hit a jackpot worth $1,500. But his luck soon changed after he was unable to claim the winnings because he didn't have a Social Security Number.

Federal law mandates that anyone who wins a slot machine jackpot of $1,200 or more must fill out a W-2G for taxes.

Mejia attempted to get around this by arranging for another casino patron to claim the prize on his behalf by exchanging identities. That plan fell apart when the other individual tried to claim the jackpot using a false identity.

The Charges

That led to Mejia being taken into custody by officers from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. According to the Lyon County Clerk of Court’s Office, he now faces charges including gambling-related money forfeiture avoidance and conspiracy to commit a non-forcible felony, both classified as class D felonies.

The Potential Sentence

If convicted of these charges, he could face a prison sentence of up to ten years in prison.

The woman who attempted to claim the jackpot also faces legal action. She claims the ticket was a gift.

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