A Chinese man who lives in New York has been put on probation after trying to change his fortunes by committing a scam in a casino.
Chen Zhi Qian, a watchmaker by trade, was involved in a scheme at the Mohegan Sun casino where he would buy player's club points at a discount.
He then used the points to buy gold coins at the casino's Odysea shop, which he sold on for profit and failed to report the tax.
John Doucet, a professional poker player, who is currently serving a five-month jail tern for filing a false tax return, is charged along with Mr Chen, theday.com reports.
But the scheme only came to light when the FBI was sniffing around the casino on an unrelated case and Chen tried to sell player's points to an undercover officer.
The Chinaman's attorney presented the defendant as a good-hearted, naive man in debt who simply grasped an opportunity to bring his wife and child out of poverty and to the fairytale land of the US.
"He wants more than anything to live with his wife and daughter, happily ever after," the last line of Chen's lawyer's submission reads.
Chen has been put on probation for two years after pleading guilty to failing to keep records for tax purposes and has been banned from casinos.
A Chinese man who lives in New York has been put on probation after trying to change his fortunes by committing a scam in a casino.