Bet Bizarre (8): Man Tries to Blackmail Steve Wynn, Sends His Phone Number
There are many paths to infamy in Las Vegas. Building a casino empire is one. Play the poker pros. Or make the worst attempt on record of blackmailing Steve Wynn .
One Las Vegas resident appears to have chosen the second route and then helpfully stapled his own contact details to the evidence pile for good measure.
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The Not So Genius Steve Wynn Blackmail
A man named Michael Loizias, 43, was arrested after allegedly running a years-long blackmail campaign against casino mogul Steve Wynn.
According to the report, the scheme stretched back to October 2023 and involved more than 79 threatening emails and letters sent to Wynn’s Florida residence.
All while demanding $1 million in exchange for keeping supposedly damaging information quiet. Because apparently subtlety was never going to be part of the business plan.
On January 30, two packages — one sent by FedEx and one by USPS Priority Mail — arrived at Wynn’s place that were traced back to Loizias.
The letters allegedly used menacing language, demanded that Wynn wire $1 million, and warned that Loizias would “visit” him if the demand was not met by March 2.
Nothing says “professional criminal enterprise” quite like adding a deadline and a threat that sounds like it was written by a man who thinks a villain monologue counts as legal strategy.
A Rather Simple Investigation
Police, however, did not need to rely solely on the paper trail, because Loizias reportedly made the classic error of listing his real phone number as a contact in one of the threatening letters.
When detectives called, the voicemail reportedly used his name. Several calls went to voicemail, and on February 5 he briefly answered before hanging up as soon as a detective identified himself. Subtle, he was not.
Loizias was arrested on Monday and charged with one count of extortion for the Steve Wynn blackmail. He is being held on $50,000 bond at the Main Detention Center in West Palm Beach. A judge has ordered him to have no contact with Wynn or Wynn’s employees.
If the goal was to avoid attention, it may be fair to say the operation performed with the sort of precision usually reserved for toast left in a casino buffet warmer.
For Wynn, the case marks another strange chapter in a life already packed with high-stakes headlines.
For Loizias, it is a reminder that if you are going to commit an allegedly brilliant extortion scheme, attaching your actual phone number is less “criminal mastermind” and more “please arrest me by lunchtime.”
About Bet Bizarre
Bet Bizarre is our ongoing series covering the strangest, most absurd, and sometimes unbelievable incidents from the world of casinos and betting.
From lawsuits and viral mishaps to bizarre crimes and regulatory oddities, this is where you find it all. Check out the whole Bet Bizarre series here.
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