July 11, 2011 7:28 PM
US troops cheated out of money at carnival
Hidden cameras at Ft. Hood's Freedom Fest show soldiers losing money playing rigged games. (CBS News)
(CBS News)
FORT HOOD, Texas - At the annual Fourth of July Freedom Fest last week at Fort Hood, one of the largest military bases in the U.S., soldiers just back from war or ready to deploy were spending the day with their families.
There was no chance they would win at some of these games. The games are run by a Texas company called Century 21 Shows.
U.S. taxpayers pay Century 21 through a government contract to entertain the soldiers and families of Ft. Hood and another post in San Antonio, Texas.
This man has been a "carnie" for more than 20 years - working the carnival circuit building and managing games on the midway. We agreed to protect his identity and substitute his voice. He told us, as a military veteran, he was disgusted when learned soldiers were being ripped off by some Century 21 games.
"I couldn't rob a guy that just came back from war, has a wife and his baby in his hands and take his rent money," he says.
He showed us how it was done, building a game called Tee-Ball or screw pool, from scratch.
"The object of this game is to knock the golf tee out of this circle with the cue ball," he says. "You do that ten times and I give you a big screen TV."
He let Keteyian win the first time. "Now I'm going to let you lose," he said.
When he moves the tee an eighth of an inch, it doesn't fall.
"We'll build your confidence in it first, make you think you're a superstar," he says. "Then, we're going to break you down and take all your money."
He tells us he's seen people routinely lose $80 or $100 at a time. He says the most he's ever had someone in for was "a couple of G's."
We took hidden cameras to Ft. Hood on July 4th. After three hours of watching soldiers lose their pay, Keteyian confronted the person operating the game.
"Does it bother you at all ripping these soldiers off with this game of their hard earned money?"
"I didn't rip anybody off," the man replies.
"Yes you are, this game is completely rigged."
"No it's not."
"It's a con game that you control and you control it by where you put that front ball."
"Why you picking on me?"
"You guys are the ones that are ripping of soldiers here on the 4th of July, that's why."
"It's a carnival sir. We're here to make money."
The manager, that day, for Century 21 Shows, Jeremy Bendsons tried to put some distance between his company and the people that run the games.
"Most of these people are independent contractors," Bendsons says.
In a statement Century 21 Shows said, "It is (our) policy... that all of the games operate fairly" and if the company receives a complaint about a game they will investigate it and "any improper operations will be corrected or the game shutdown."
Even though the manager told us they weren't his games, five minutes after we spoke with him, he shut down the screw pool and two other games were shut down. The soldiers were told the pool game was now broken.
An official from Fort Hood told us if these allegations have merit, they're going to take appropriate action.
Statement below from Century 21 Shows
"Confirming your conversation with the site manager, Jeremy Bendsons, Century 21 Shows owns the trailers which house the games, and the game operators are independent contractors. It is the policy of Century 21 Shows that all of the games operate fairly. If there are complaints about any of the game operators, those complaints are investigated. Dissatisfied customers generally receive refunds, and any improper operations corrected or the game shut down.
The game you specifically expressed interest in, Pot O'Gold, has operated with Century 21 Shows for 3 to 4 months, and Century 21 has received no complaints about the game or the operator. While challenging, the game can be won, and there was, in fact, a winner at that game shortly after your cameras left."
© 2011 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved.FORT HOOD, Texas - At the annual Fourth of July Freedom Fest last week at Fort Hood, one of the largest military bases in the U.S., soldiers just back from war or ready to deploy were spending the day with their families.
There was no chance they would win at some of these games. The games are run by a Texas company called Century 21 Shows.
U.S. taxpayers pay Century 21 through a government contract to entertain the soldiers and families of Ft. Hood and another post in San Antonio, Texas.
This man has been a "carnie" for more than 20 years - working the carnival circuit building and managing games on the midway. We agreed to protect his identity and substitute his voice. He told us, as a military veteran, he was disgusted when learned soldiers were being ripped off by some Century 21 games.
"I couldn't rob a guy that just came back from war, has a wife and his baby in his hands and take his rent money," he says.
He showed us how it was done, building a game called Tee-Ball or screw pool, from scratch.
"The object of this game is to knock the golf tee out of this circle with the cue ball," he says. "You do that ten times and I give you a big screen TV."
He let Keteyian win the first time. "Now I'm going to let you lose," he said.
When he moves the tee an eighth of an inch, it doesn't fall.
"We'll build your confidence in it first, make you think you're a superstar," he says. "Then, we're going to break you down and take all your money."
He tells us he's seen people routinely lose $80 or $100 at a time. He says the most he's ever had someone in for was "a couple of G's."
We took hidden cameras to Ft. Hood on July 4th. After three hours of watching soldiers lose their pay, Keteyian confronted the person operating the game.
"Does it bother you at all ripping these soldiers off with this game of their hard earned money?"
"I didn't rip anybody off," the man replies.
"Yes you are, this game is completely rigged."
"No it's not."
"It's a con game that you control and you control it by where you put that front ball."
"Why you picking on me?"
"You guys are the ones that are ripping of soldiers here on the 4th of July, that's why."
"It's a carnival sir. We're here to make money."
The manager, that day, for Century 21 Shows, Jeremy Bendsons tried to put some distance between his company and the people that run the games.
"Most of these people are independent contractors," Bendsons says.
In a statement Century 21 Shows said, "It is (our) policy... that all of the games operate fairly" and if the company receives a complaint about a game they will investigate it and "any improper operations will be corrected or the game shutdown."
Even though the manager told us they weren't his games, five minutes after we spoke with him, he shut down the screw pool and two other games were shut down. The soldiers were told the pool game was now broken.
An official from Fort Hood told us if these allegations have merit, they're going to take appropriate action.
Statement below from Century 21 Shows
"Confirming your conversation with the site manager, Jeremy Bendsons, Century 21 Shows owns the trailers which house the games, and the game operators are independent contractors. It is the policy of Century 21 Shows that all of the games operate fairly. If there are complaints about any of the game operators, those complaints are investigated. Dissatisfied customers generally receive refunds, and any improper operations corrected or the game shut down.
The game you specifically expressed interest in, Pot O'Gold, has operated with Century 21 Shows for 3 to 4 months, and Century 21 has received no complaints about the game or the operator. While challenging, the game can be won, and there was, in fact, a winner at that game shortly after your cameras left."
Shameless Screen Grab Courtesy of CBS News
Carnies - Your Henchmen recruiting resource- but mercenaries, the lot of them.
Villains are TRULY everywhere.
ReplyDeleteOne's henchman Ghost of Nixon came from a Carny background. He's been an unemployed alcoholic*, a magician (close up), and currently works in Southern California. But - you can take the Carny out of the Midway, but you can't take the Midway out of the Carny.
ReplyDelete-Lord Malignance
*GoN - with apologies.