“Has that long been a criminal offense in Austria?”, is the first question the 46-year-old asks the judge of the Vienna court. We are talking about shell games, which are prohibited by the Vienna Event Act. But the defendant only expected an administrative fine…
Three cups, a ball and a carpet – the utensils of a scale game that brought the 46-year-old to LG Vienna. It is an illegal game of chance – and commercial fraud, because you couldn’t win with cheating.
Scammed tourists in the center of Vienna
Together with a group he robbed passers-by in Vienna’s Kärnterstrasse and Kohlmarkt. He admits that too, but: “We didn’t know this was punishable. We thought it was just an administrative offense.” He earned 200 euros with it and paid 600 euros in administrative fines so far…
Moreover, he was only the “stayer” or “animator”, “so that a crowd of people arise”. The game was played by someone else. He earned 50 euros for every time he missed such a trick. The group had to hand over the remaining profits to their “boss”, who knew none of them. While prosecutors only charged four games – the police caught them red-handed – he admitted in court to being present up to 20 times.
Probation for illegal gambling
In the Czech Republic, too, he was put on probation for the shell games and was even expelled from the country. He is now serving eight months in prison in Vienna. The verdict is not final. The judge explains: “He was lucky that he was stopped only four times.” After all, he already knew the plainclothes officers who were called as witnesses personally…
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
