Some of history’s most well-known personalities have emerged from relative obscurity to come to dominate an entire generation. Their deeds have a profound impact on the lives of millions of people, and their significance has been argued and pondered for centuries. Then there are some people who pass through the pages of history for just a split second, yet they do so while leaving behind a brief but noteworthy footnote. The latter description applies to Monique Laurent, despite the fact that her notoriety is more in France than in other regions of the globe.
To put it another way, Monique rose to prominence for her role as a roulette cheat. She was a key player in the notorious “French Cigarette Pack Scandal,” which occurred in the early 1970s and sent shockwaves through the gambling industry. Although she did not achieve the same degree of cultural notoriety like Jean Seberg or Pascale Petit did as a result of their roles in the films Breathless and Les Tricheurs respectively, the brunette Frenchwoman nonetheless has a fascinating position in the annals of casino con games.
The First Few Years
The early years of Monique’s life are shrouded in mystery. It is well knowledge that she entered the world on February 14, 1948, at a medical facility located in Deauville, France. There is evidence that she had at least one brother, but it is unclear if or whether she had any further siblings.
It was perhaps during the end of the 1960s or the beginning of the 1970s when she wed. It is reasonable to suppose that she changed her name to Monique Laurent when she took on the surname of her husband, although even this piece of information is up for discussion.
A Charm That Is Rarely Seen
The early years of Monique’s existence were marked by the widespread acclaim that she had an extraordinary beauty. This dark-haired Frenchwoman drew a lot of attention wherever she went because of her delicate skeletal structure and her unusual cropped hair. It was also common knowledge that she had a very high IQ, a quality that, when combined with her other strengths, was a formidable force. Unfortuitously, her attractiveness, in conjunction with her intent to defraud a casino, would end up being her doom.
The Components of a Fraud
During the summer of 1973, Monique’s brother was successful in landing a position at the renowned Casino Deauville, which is located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in France. He worked as a croupier at the roulette wheel, and one of his responsibilities was to spin the wheels and ensure that the results were correct. His job also required him to monitor the integrity of the game’s outcomes. Although the majority of workers would have considered this to be simply another job, the young guy in question had somewhat higher aspirations (often known as being greedy).
Monique’s brother would do experiments on the wheels whenever there was a pause in business to see whether or not it was possible to influence the results of a spin. In the early stages of his experimenting, he wasn’t very successful, so he ultimately turned to his astute sister for assistance. She was the one who had the idea. Monique, who was uninterested in her work but anxious to increase her income, was more than ready to comply with your request.
Monique was aware that her brother had an interest in technology, and she pondered whether or not this may provide them with an edge over the casino. It turned out that she was correct in her assessment, as the two individuals determined that the solution to all of their issues was a little radio transmitter.
After a tiny receiver had been implanted in the roulette ball, whomever held the transmitter had the ability to induce the ball to fall and land with a degree of precision of ninety percent on one of the six numbers. Naturally, Monique couldn’t very well hold the transmitter in front of everyone to see, so they devised the plan to hide it in a pack of American cigarettes (in this case, Marlboro). Because this was at an era when smoking was generally tolerated inside all around the world, the brunette would be able to pass for one of the other guests at the casino if she did this.
Following the successful discovery of the ideal mechanism for cheating, the next obstacle to overcome was the ball used in the roulette game. Not only did it have to be included into the game, but it also had to conceal a small radio receiver inside of itself while maintaining the appearance and behavior of a typical ball.