A French lady, Monique Laurent became notorious in 1973 for planning one of the most brazen casino frauds in history—the French Cigarette Pack Scam. Her tale has subsequently evolved into a legendary narrative of high-stakes cheating in the gambling sector.
🎰 The French Cigarette Pack Fraud
Monique Laurent, her brother—a roulette croupier at Deauville Casino—and her husband created a clever cheating plan in 1973. They hid a transmitter in a cigarette pack and put a tiny radio receiver inside a roulette ball. Monique would step close to the roulette table and secretly turn on the transmitter, which would affect the ball’s landing location with 90% accuracy. This let him wager on certain numbers, which helped him to win significantly.
🕵️♀️ Aftermath and Discovery
The fraud fell apart as the casino owner became wary, driven by Monique’s beauty and regular attendance. He had it checked after observing her regular gambling habits and no smoking from her cigarette pack, finding the concealed transmitter. Monique and her companions were captured by the authorities; they escaped jail time by giving up the illegal profits. Monique got the name “La Belle Voleuse” after the event drew much press.
🎬 Cultural Influence
The controversy motivated the 1984 French film Les Tricheurs, in which Mic, played by Pascale Petit, was based on Monique Laurent. The film’s popularity confirmed Monique’s position in gambling history and underlined the public’s interest in the narrative.
🌍 Living After the Scam
Following the affair, Monique Laurent relocated to Las Vegas, where she apparently worked in a clothing store and frequented casinos. While it’s unclear whether she continued to gamble or engage in similar crimes, her legacy as one of the most cunning casino scammers remains intact.
Monique Laurent’s narrative is proof of the extremes people will go to abuse systems as well as the appeal and hazards of the gaming industry.
