Tulalip Tribal Member Sentenced for Theft for Raiding Customers' ‘Points’ Accounts Former Casino Employee Used His Position to Steal Nearly $20,000

WALTER ANTHONY MOSES, 28, an enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribe, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three months in prison and three years of supervised release, including three months of home electronic monitoring, for Theft of Funds from a Gaming Establishment on Indian Lands. MOSES had been employed as a Rewards Club Supervisor until he was fired on May 22, 2008, when the thefts were discovered. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour ordered MOSES to pay $19,994 in restitution as part of his sentence.

According to records filed in the case, in May 2008, a casino patron complained that $500 worth of “Rewards Club” points were missing from her account. Casino customers earn rewards points based on the amount of gambling they do at the casino. The points can be redeemed for merchandise, food or cash. MOSES was initially assigned to review the reported discrepancy. Four days later a second employee was asked to look into the apparent discrepancy in the account because MOSES had not addressed it. The casino investigation revealed that MOSES had debited points from a number of customer accounts and issued vouchers to his friends and relatives who then cashed the vouchers and returned some of the money to MOSES. In five days during May 2008, MOSES issued 18 vouchers for nearly $8,000 to people other than reward points customers. Surveillance video captured MOSES working at a computer terminal and then providing the voucher to a relative who cashed it in. Further investigation revealed that the thefts from the customer rewards accounts had begun as early as January and totaled nearly $20,000.

MOSES was indicted in May 2009, and entered a guilty plea in September 2009.

In asking that MOSES serve a prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London noted that “The money lost to the Tulalip Tribes would have been used for important tribal purposes,” and that it is important to deter others who may be tempted to steal from the tribal casinos.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Tulalip Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London. Mr. London is the Tribal Liaison for the United States Attorney’s Office.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@USDOJ.Gov.