Capitol Notebook: Mississippi man convicted of casino fraud, money laundering after multistate investigation

A 38-year-old man accused of orchestrating a complex casino scam at Grand Falls Casino in Larchwood has been convicted on multiple felony charges following a yearslong investigation by state and federal authorities.

A Lyon County jury on Thursday found Shaun Joseph Benward guilty of five counts of money laundering, five counts of cheating at gambling games, and one count of conspiracy to commit a felony, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

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Investigators with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Special Enforcement Operations Bureau (SEOB) said Benward manipulated casino staff in December 2018 to collect more than $10,000 in fraudulent payouts. He allegedly disguised himself in different outfits, used multiple tellers and broke up more than $12,000 in transactions to evade IRS reporting requirements.

Benward was located and arrested in Mississippi in April 2025 after authorities obtained warrants connected to the Iowa scheme. Officials said he has been linked to similar casino scams in other states.

The SEOB is the state’s lead agency for criminal investigations involving Iowa’s gaming industry.

Reynolds orders flags lowered to honor Cheney

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered all flags in the state to be lowered to half-staff immediately in honor of former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, who died at age 84. Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset on the day of his interment.

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Cheney served as vice president from 2001 to 2009 under former President George W. Bush, and previously as Secretary of Defense and a longtime member of Congress.

“Dick Cheney will be remembered as a remarkable statesman — in Congress and the Executive Branch, in times of peace and war, at home and abroad,” Reynolds said in a statement Friday. “Above all, he will be remembered as a patriot, who dedicated his life to the service of his country.”

Flags will be lowered on the State Capitol grounds and all public buildings and facilities across Iowa. Reynolds encouraged individuals, businesses, schools and local governments to do the same as a sign of respect.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau