Site on North Dixie Drive was known to passersby as Players Internet Cafe.</h2>By Steve Bennish, Staff Writer Updated 12:16 AM Friday, October 23, 2009 HARRISON TWP., Montgomery County An illegal gambling den falsely operating as an Internet cafe was doing a booming business before it was shut down Thursday, Oct. 22, authorities said.Owner-operator Ghazwan (Gus) Briko, 44, and Sonia Perez, 36, his assistant, face charges of misdemeanor operation of a gambling house, sheriffs Chief Deputy Mike Nolan said.The gambling casino was operating at 5611 N. Dixie Drive, less than a mile from a sheriffs substation.It was known to passers-by as the Players Internet Cafe, but those in the know frequented it for its 50 personal computers tied to a network and rigged to display games of chance, Nolan said.Nolan said the investigation began when he and Sheriff Phil Plummer began hearing talk midsummer of a casino operation in the township.We had no idea what they were talking about, Nolan said.In time, investigators figured out it was the cafe. Undercover agents sent to check it out found that patrons were asked to buy a phone card for $20, which gave them credit to gamble.The experience was that players initially won money, but soon began losing heavily playing the system that appeared to be rigged. One patron said he lost $3,000, another $5,000, Nolan said.Deputies confiscated 40 to 50 personal computers, $1,500 cash on hand and seized $47,000 from the bank account of the business, Nolan said.
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