Imagine this: you’re on a luxury cruise ship, the sun is setting and you decide to try your luck at the casino. For 41-year-old Neo Hui Ghim from Singapore, it went completely wrong. In no time at all, he lost $2,000. What started as an evening of excitement and entertainment ended in pure chaos.
Angry, frustrated and apparently completely lost, he decided to do something bizarre: send threatening emails with a false bomb threat. His message was short and shocking:
‘Give me back my money, or the ship will blow up and everyone will end up in the sea.’
Panic and delays for thousands of passengers
The threatening email hit hard. Resorts World took it very seriously. The ship remained docked for an extra two hours. Some 4,000 passengers had to wait, and the atmosphere changed from holiday fun to tense unrest. No one knew if it was real or a nasty joke.
The police arrived immediately. And to be honest, Neo made it very easy for them. He sent the emails from the same address he used to book the cruise. It couldn’t have been easier for the investigation. That same evening, he was already in jail.
The gambler risks a heavy punishment
Neo Hui Ghim will never get his lost $2,000 back, but he could lose something much bigger: his freedom. The charges are serious. For spreading false information, he could face up to seven years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
On top of that, there is an additional charge for threatening language. That could earn him another six months in prison and a $5,000 fine. So, for a loss of a few thousand dollars, his life is hanging by a thread.
Other casino dramas show how gambling can sometimes go wrong
This is not the first time that gambling at sea or on land has gone wrong. In France, casino winners recently fell victim to violent robberies. That drama made big news, as described in this story about two robberies of casino winners.
And on the other side of the ocean, gamblers still flock to Las Vegas, which for many feels like the ultimate paradise. But even there, where big wins beckon, big dramas often lurk. In this overview, you can read more about Las Vegas as a mecca for gamblers.