Casinos are in the business of cash.

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  2. The Crown Casino Never Saw It Coming. In 2013, the Crown Casino in Melbourne Australia was swindled out of 33 million dollars (USD). I wish that there was more information on the internet about this, but the casino didn’t even report it to the local police. You read that correctly. The casino and its management didn’t report the biggest.

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It’s simple.

They almost always have the house edge, which means that gamblers are working with odds that aren’t in their favor.

Since the house almost always wins, there is a lot of money (cash or other currency forms like bitcoin and gold) in their vaults. This also means that some thief is looking for an easier, softer way to win it big.

There are a lot of casino movies about robbing, crooks, and big dreams.

The Oceans 11 movie franchise is built on this dream.

Just in case you’ve been stranded on an island since the first Oceans 11 movie came out, here’s the plot:

  • 2 high rollers (played by George Clooney and Brad Pitt) build a team of criminals.
  • They plan to rip off all the money in the casino (Bellagio in Las Vegas) and win back Clooney’s love interest, Julia Roberts.

Casino robberies have been romanticized by Western culture. Rarely do the thieves get away. When they do, it’s not for long.

In this post, I’m going to tell you about the biggest (moneywise) heist in history and the most expensive drink ever sold.

This true story is an example of human faults, betrayal, and not knowing when to call it quits.

The Crown Casino Never Saw It Coming

In 2013, the Crown Casino in Melbourne Australia was swindled out of 33 million dollars (USD). I wish that there was more information on the internet about this, but the casino didn’t even report it to the local police.

You read that correctly.

The casino and its management didn’t report the biggest casino heist in history to the local police.

We’ll get into my theory why later.

A New Zealand businessman was invited to play at the casino’s high roller room. He had been a previous customer.

Much like American casinos, the Crown caters to the high roller players. Bigger bets almost always equal bigger losses. This means more money in the vault. You get the idea.

The businessman, millionaire James Manning, played 8 winning hands of blackjack to win a total of 32,000,000 Australian dollars (33 million USD). This tipped off the Crown Casino’s security.

It turns out that the VIP services manager had recruited Manning to come play in their high roller room that week. Manning was also scheduled to star in a record-setting event when he would buy “The Winston,” the most expensive drink in the world.

The Guinness Book of World Records would be there to record the purchase. The casino’s bar, Club 23, was gearing up for the event and the record being set by the bar.

How Did This Happen?

This heist is reminiscent of the Ocean’s 11 original film. There is hacking, behind the scenes treason, and even a PR nightmare.

This is how it all went down:

  • Manning and the VIP services manager worked ahead of time to hack into the casino’s security camera system. According to some tech experts, this is not a hard task.
  • Now that they have access to the high-resolution camera across the casino, they can see everything they need to put Manning in a winning player position in the high roller room.
  • The VIP services manager is also supposed to be involved in a $12,500 cognac drink launch. We will talk about that later.
  • Manning checks into the casino with his family into a VIP villa. This will become the home base of the largest casino heist in history.
  • James plays the eight winning hands with the help of the hacked security cameras and signaling from the VIP services manager.
  • Casino security is starting to get curious. The Crown’s security team realizes it’s their own VIP services manager that is signaling to Manning how to win each of the hands.
  • Manning leaves the casino floor with the biggest win in the casino’s history.
  • Manning carries on as if nothing is out of place.
  • In the middle of the night, the Crown security team discovers the heist and evicts Manning from the property. Here’s the kicker: Manning had not transferred the winning money (USD 33,000,000) to his personal account.
  • Considering the money had not left the casino’s vault, they decided to not press charges. What they did do was expel him from the property, file a no-trespass order, and cancel the drink event.
  • The casino didn’t contact local police as the money was still “in house.” Unfathomable, right?

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Let’s Drink About It – The World’s Most Expensive Drink

Let’s talk about that expensive cognac drink. Manning was scheduled to buy the world’s most expensive drink. The goal was a PR event to set a world record for the most expensive drink.

What’s in a $12,500 drink?

“The Winston” has 1858-vintage Croizet Cuvee Leonie cognac.

Its namesake comes from the same vintage as Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower shared when they discussed the D-Day landings of WWII.

Casino

The Crown Casino Melbourne had a problem — an expensive problem. They had no buyer for their drink. The casino had no way of knowing that the buyer for the record-setting event would also attempt to steal $33,000,000 (USD) from the casino during the same trip.

The Guinness Book of World Records was on-site to view the event. A representative from Croziet, the owner of the 1886 bottle of cognac, was on-site to deliver the $150,000 bottle of cognac.

The event had been marketed worldwide to media and other industries. This was going to put Club 23 on the map.

So, what is a bar and casino to do with no buyer for their record-setting cocktail?

Manning had been banished from the casino, and who else had an extra $12.5k laying around for one cocktail?

The marketing team for the Crown Melbourne was scrambling to find a replacement buyer. This is where my theory comes in.

Great Plans Always Have a Fault

I have been in PR and marketing since I graduated from college. I have never organized an event of this type. I have had to scramble for coverage of a celebrity that decided to cancel an event at the last moment.

If I were on the PR/marketing team for the Crown, I wouldn’t notify the police either. The money is still in house. The buyer has been marketed as buying the drink. No buyer equals find a buyer.

I would silently sweep my $33 million problem under the rug and proceed like nothing happened. I wouldn’t want the blowback and would want to salvage what I could from this event.

The Crown, I think, had a similar idea. Let’s find a new buyer. No harm, no foul.

Almost a Record, but Not Quite

Two of the executive staff from the Crown – Vice President of VIP Services, Ishan Ratnam, and the Chief Operating Officer of Crown Hotels, Peter Crinis – approached Giang Nguyen.

Nguyen is the biggest financial contributor to the Geelong Football Club. Geelong Football Club is a professional Australian rules soccer team based out of Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Ratnam and Crinis had another problem to tackle. Nguyen is a discreet spender. He is a regular at the Villa at the Crown Tower but isn’t known to throw around money. Unlike Manning, Nguyen wasn’t willing to throw down the $12,500 for the cost of the drink.

They came up with a workaround.

Best

Nguyen would pay for the drink, and the casino would pay him back after the record was set, and the event was over.

Easy, right?

Not so much.

The casino was already swimming in a PR nightmare with the gambling scandal. Even though the casino didn’t report the robbery to the local police, the public knew. It was swirling around like wildfire on social media and traditional media outlets.

This event needed to go off without a hitch. Nguyen showed up and bought the drink with his own money. It was recorded, and the hosting bar, Club 23, would receive the world record for the most expensive drink ever sold.

There was one problem:

The bar didn’t actually sell the drink.

Nguyen showed up at Club 23 wearing casual clothes considering he was brought in for the high-end record-setting event. He was escorted by his friend, Ishan Ratnam.

He ordered the drink and paid for the drink.

He took a sip and left the unfinished drink on the bar.

Obviously, Nguyen was not interested in the record and was unimpressed by the entire event.

This raised some eyebrows with the media. Words soon leaked that Nguyen was paid back for the record expense.

The media, other industry affiliates, and the public started to question if this really was a record since the buyer was paid back by the casino. It should be clear that the Crown paid back Nguyen, not Club 23.

Things went from bad to worse. Nguyen was transparent when he said he was just helping a friend. Not good.

Conclusion

As of the time of this post, the Crown Casino still holds the title for the biggest casino heist and the most expensive cocktail ever sold.

I had planned on sharing with you the top three biggest casino heists in history, but this one was too good to just give a couple paragraphs.

I’ll be posting about the other two contenders for the biggest casino heists in history in the second part of this 2-parter. Stay tuned.

Humans aren’t good at admitting defeat, neither is The Crown Casino Melbourne. I hope you enjoyed this ultra-PR fail story about cheating, casino heists, and marketing flops, check out part two here.

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Egg whites or Egg beaters available upon request.

B&B Breakfast Burger $13.99
10 oz angus beef, smoked bacon, fried egg, American cheese, breakfast potatoes

All American Breakfast $12.99
three eggs any style, bacon, ham or sausage, breakfast potatoes and toast

Chilaquiles $13.99
shredded pork, salsa verde, corn tortilla, three eggs any style, queso fresco, sour cream, side of refried beans

Steak & Eggs $20.99
10 oz. ribeye, 3 eggs any style, breakfast potatoes & toast

Corned Beef Hash $13.99
housemade corned beef, three eggs any style, sautéed onions, breakfast potatoes and toast

Huevos Rancheros $12.99
two eggs over medium, crispy corn tortilla, ranchero sauce, refried beans, queso fresco

Eggs Benedict $13.99
two poached eggs, Canadian bacon, english muffin, hollandaise sauce, breakfast potatoes

Breakfast Croissant $10.99
two eggs any style, bacon, ham or sausage, American cheese

Healthy Wrap $10.99
egg whites, sautéed spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, feta cheese, spinach tortilla wrap, side of seasonal fruit

Breakfast Burrito $10.99
scrambled eggs, cheddar, chorizo, four tortilla, side of breakfast potatoes, pico de gallo, sour cream

Smoked Salmon Plate $12.99
Scottish smoked salmon, vine ripe tomatoes, capers, shaved red onion, sliced cucumber, hard-boiled egg, cream cheese, choice of bagel

Make Your Own Omelet $13.99
three egg omelet, breakfast potatoes and toast

Choice of Three Ingredients
bacon, ham or sausage
cheddar, American, Swiss, pepper jack or feta cheese
spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms or onions

Buttermilk Pancakes $8.99
add banana, blueberries, strawberries or chocolate chips $3.99

Belgian Waffle $8.99
add seasonal berries $3.99

French Toast $8.99
vanilla egg batter
add seasonal berries $3.99

Add vanilla whey protein to any item below for $2.

Orange Julius Smoothie $5.99
fresh orange juice, carrots, oranges, vanilla yogurt, almond milk
Gluten Free

Go Green $5.99
spinach, avocado, cucumber and green apple juice, parsley, cilantro, romaine
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Triple Melon Smoothie $5.99
watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, coconut milk
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Strawberry-Banana Rush Smoothie $5.99
strawberries, banana, strawberry yogurt, agave nectar
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Sliced Half Avocado $1.99
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Sliced Tomatoes $1.99
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Cottage Cheese $2.99
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Bacon $3.99
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Bagel, Toast or English Muffin $2.99

Ham, Pork Sausage or Turkey Sausage $3.99

Single Egg $1.99
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Silver Dollar Buttermilk Pancakes $3.99

Biscuits & Gravy $4.99

Cold or Hot Cereal $2.99

Seasonal Berries $6.99
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Farmer's Market Melon Selection $5.99
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Yogurt $3.99
strawberry, vanilla or plain greek
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Assorted Bakery Breakfast Items $6.99
cinnamon roll or croissant or blueberry muffin

Buffalo Chicken Sliders $10.99
buffalo chicken, buffalo mozzarella, ranch slaw

Angus Beef Sliders $10.99
caramelized onions, American cheese, pickle

Buffalo Cauliflower $9.99
crispy cauliflower, housemade hot sauce, ranch dressing

Crispy Shrimp $11.99
Thai dynamite dipping sauce

Chicken Wings $10.99
choice of garlic, buffalo, or ginger Thai chili sauce
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Chicken Fingers & Fries $10.99
ranch dressing

Beer Battered Jumbo Onion Rings $8.99
smoky bacon ranch dip

Pot Stickers $9.99
crispy pork and vegetable pot stickers, ginger-soy dipping sauce

Clam Chowder $7.99
creamy New England style

Caesar Salad $9.99
crisp romaine, garlic parmesan dressing, croutons

Asian Chicken Salad $10.99
grilled chicken, cabbage carrots, cilantro, green onion, baby greens, peanuts, ginger-soy-peanut vinaigrette
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Cobb Salad $11.99
crisp lettuce, smoky bacon, chopped avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, grilled chicken, egg, ranch dressing
Gluten Free

Small Garden Salad $6.99
baby greens, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, choice of dressing
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Fusion Burger $13.99
10oz wagyu beef, pilsner beer braised pork belly, pickled cucumbers and onions, soy glaze

'Bison' Burger $13.99
8 oz bison burger, cherry peppers, avocado, fried onions, white cheddar, red ale chipotle sauce

Brisket Burger $13.99
10 oz smoked brisket burger, topped with smoked brisket, aged cheddar, housemade slaw, bock bbq sauce

Classic Cheeseburger $10.99
10 oz angus beef, white and yellow American cheese, zesty pilsner sauce

Island Burger $11.99
10 oz angus beef, maple bacon, aged white cheddar, pilsner pineapple coleslaw, Maui onion relish, teriyaki sauce

Mushroom Burger $11.99
10 oz angus beef, lager braised mushrooms, caramelized onions, aged provolone

Spicy Burger $11.99
10 oz angus beef, roasted hatch green chile, pepper jack cheese, ipa battered jalapeños, bbq sauce

Vegan Burger $13.99
6 oz vegan burger, red pepper hummus, cucumber, avocado, amber-garlic sauce, vegan bun
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Salt & Pepper $5.99
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Cheddar Bacon $5.99

Garlic Parmesan $5.99

Sweet Potato $5.99
with maple mayo

Rib-Eye $20.99
10 oz rib-eye steak, whipped potatoes, seasonal vegetables

Fish & Fries $12.99
crispy ale battered cod, fries, tartar sauce

Oven Roasted Turkey $12.99
oven roasted turkey breast, whipped potatoes, gravy, stuffing, seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce

Herb Roasted Salmon $16.99
field greens, cucumber, tomatoes, chimichurri sauce
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Grilled Chicken Breasts $12.99
grilled seasonal vegetables, arugula pesto

Cheese $10.99
tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella

Pepperoni $12.99
pepperoni, tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella

Meatball & Sausage $12.99
housemade meatballs, Italian sausage, tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, oregano

Prosciutto $13.99
imported prosciutto, mascarpone, fresh mozzarella, arugula, balsamic glaze

Old Fashioned Root Beer Milkshake $12.99
caramel-toffee crunch rimmed, vanilla ice cream, old fashioned root beer, churro, meringue, dark chocolate, whipped cream

Orange Creamsicle Milkshake $12.99
sugar rimmed, vanilla ice cream, orange syrup, candied orange slice, pirouline cookie, dark chocolate, whipped cream

Chocolate Oreo Cookie Milkshake $12.99
mini M&M rimmed, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, oreo cookie pieces, cake pop, oreo cookie, lollipop, chocolate swirl, rainbow sprinkles, whipped cream

Pick Me Up Milkshake $12.99
rice crispy pearl rimmed, vanilla ice cream, amaretto syrup, espresso, chocolate dipped ladyfingers, chocolate coffee beans, white chocolate, cocoa powder, fresh strawberry, whipped cream

Chocolate, Vanilla or Strawberry Milkshake $8.99

Apple Pie À La Mode $7.99

Chocolate Cake $7.99

Ales

Sweet malty flavor and caramel finish.

Arrogant Bastard (22 oz) $9

Firestone 805 $6

New Belgium Fat Tire $6

Newcastle Brown $6

Odell 90 Shilling $7

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale $6

Victory Golden Monkey $8

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Stouts & Porters

Dark color, earthy flavors and full bodied hop finish.

Bell's Porter $7

Guinness Irish Dry Stout $6

Mother Earth Sin Tax Peanut Butter Stout $7

Murphy's Irish Stout (16 oz) $8

Hefeweizens

Wheat ale with a cloudy body and notes of citrus.

Blue Moon $7

Hoegaarden $7

Saint Archer White Ale $6

Lagers & Bocks

Rich and creamy with sweet aromas.

Dos Equis $6

Heineken $6

Kirin Ichiban $6

Lucky Buddha $6

Modelo Especial $6

Peroni $6

Sam Adams $6

Sapporo (21.7 oz) $8

San Miguel Pale Pilsen $6

Shiner Bock $6

IPAs

Intense hop flavors with a medium maltiness.

Ballast Point Sculpin $8

Founders Centennial $6

Hop Valley Citrus Mistress $7

Joseph James Hop Box Imperial $7

Lagunitas $7

Ciders

Fermented from fruit, light body, citrus aromas.

Angry Orchard Crisp Apple $6

Crispin Pacific Pear $7

Seasonal

Leinenkugel Seasonal $6

Arnold Palmer Spiked $6

Wines by the Glass

Educated Guess $14
Cabernet Sauvignon

Trim $10
Cabernet Sauvignon

Gavilan $9
Chardonnay

Chateau Souverain $11
Merlot

Giacoto $9
Pinot Grigio

Emeritus $11
Pinot Noir

PJ Valckenberg $9
Riesling

Honig $11
Sauvignon Blanc

Wycliff $10
Sparkling

Eos $11
Zinfandel

When Beer's Not Enough

The Azalea $9
Bombay Sapphire gin, fresh lemon juice, pineapple juice, grenadine

Jalapeño Margarita $9
Avion Silver tequilla, fresh jalapeño, sweetened lime and lemon juice, st-germain

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Peach Paradise $8
Absolut Peach vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice

Buy one get one on select appetizers from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.


Chicken Wings $10.99
choice of garlic, buffalo, ginger Thai chili sauce

Crispy Shrimp $11.99
Thai dynamite dipping sauce

Buffalo Cauliflower $9.99
crispy cauliflower, housemade hot sauce, ranch dressing

Angus Beef Sliders $10.99
caramelized onions, American cheese, pickle

Pot Stickers $9.99
crispy pork and vegetable pot stickers, ginger-soy dipping sauce

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Clam Chowder $7.99
creamy New England style

Caesar Salad $9.99
crisp romaine, garlic parmesan dressing, croutons

Fries $5.99
salt and pepper, garlic parmesan, cheddar bacon or sweet potato