Louis Colavecchio
Encyclopedia
Louis B. Colavecchio is an American
casino
fraud
ster and counterfeiter known as "The Coin". While residing in Rhode Island
, Colavecchio defrauded several Atlantic City and Connecticut
casinos until his arrest and initial conviction in 1998. He had led a gang which fabricated numerous slot machine
coins using rubber moulds of the originals, and was revealed when casinos began to notice a surplus of coins on their gaming floors. Sentenced to seven years, Colavecchio was released in 2006. He was re-arrested by the FBI only a few months later having resumed his activities, and release on a $25,000 surety bond
. His counterfeiting equipment was auctioned off following his arrest, and crimes were the subject of a documentary series Breaking Vegas
from The History Channel
, where he was portrayed by Angelo Fierro
. Subsequent to his life of token counterfeiting, Colavecchio began an up-start letterpress printing equipment and restoration business. Colavecchio’s website advertises the redesign of a popular tabletop letterpress machine available for sale. Colavecchio reports that the project remains on course even though a large proportion of customers has publicly lodged complaints about time delays and financial inconsistencies with the new press and fraud, severe misrepresentation and destruction of property regarding his press restoration practices, which many customers have physically documented through photos and through diagnosis from trade letterpress printing experts.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
ster and counterfeiter known as "The Coin". While residing in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, Colavecchio defrauded several Atlantic City and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
casinos until his arrest and initial conviction in 1998. He had led a gang which fabricated numerous slot machine
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
coins using rubber moulds of the originals, and was revealed when casinos began to notice a surplus of coins on their gaming floors. Sentenced to seven years, Colavecchio was released in 2006. He was re-arrested by the FBI only a few months later having resumed his activities, and release on a $25,000 surety bond
Surety bond
A surety bond is a promise to pay one party a certain amount if a second party fails to meet some obligation, such as fulfilling the terms of a contract...
. His counterfeiting equipment was auctioned off following his arrest, and crimes were the subject of a documentary series Breaking Vegas
Breaking Vegas
Breaking Vegas is a television series that premiered on The History Channel in the United States in the spring of 2004. The series covers the great lengths people have gone to make money, sometimes illegally, from casinos. It premiered in Pakistan on January 19, 2006 and was renamed Decoding...
from The History Channel
The History Channel
History, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
, where he was portrayed by Angelo Fierro
Angelo Fierro
Angelo Fierro is an American film and television actor.Fierro, an Italian-American, was born in Boston's Little Italy, the North End. His first television appearance was in a car commercial for Toyota. Constantly extolled for his menacing looks, his portrayal of the heavy has always been quite...
. Subsequent to his life of token counterfeiting, Colavecchio began an up-start letterpress printing equipment and restoration business. Colavecchio’s website advertises the redesign of a popular tabletop letterpress machine available for sale. Colavecchio reports that the project remains on course even though a large proportion of customers has publicly lodged complaints about time delays and financial inconsistencies with the new press and fraud, severe misrepresentation and destruction of property regarding his press restoration practices, which many customers have physically documented through photos and through diagnosis from trade letterpress printing experts.