Patrick Giblin says he’s sorry for his crimes
Judge Kugler doesn’t believe him
One of the witnesses at Patrick Giblin’s sentencing on April 17, 2007, was an employee of Global Cash Access at Caesars Atlantic City. The service, located steps away from the casino floor, provides customers with cash advances from credit cards, debit cards and Western Union money transfers.
Giblin was a well-known customer of Global Cash Access. Employees noticed that he received numerous money transfers from a variety of women. They also noticed that he used a variety of aliases. This did not prevent him from collecting money. Giblin instructed his victims to use Western Union’s “test question” feature, so he could collect the money transfers by correctly answering a question, without presenting identification.
One time, the witness said, Giblin received three money transfers in one day, from three different women.
“After the third time, he actually went, ‘Yesss!'” she stated, pumping her fist in the air. “‘That’s three in one day.'”
Apology
Giblin’s sentencing was a long time coming—he had already spent two years working the legal system. When Giblin was arrested, he was assigned a public defender, and within three weeks, filed a motion asking for a new one. In another three weeks, he withdrew the motion.
Giblin pleaded innocent. Then he was indicted—three times. Then he filed another motion for a new public defender, and a week later, he withdrew it. Giblin pleaded guilty on May 12, 2006, then filed a motion to withdraw the guilty plea. After all the machinations, the sentencing day finally arrived.
Judge Kugler asked Giblin if he wanted to make a statement. He did.
Turning to face the courtroom gallery, Giblin read a letter of apology to his victims. He admitted that he took advantage of them. He admitted his interest in relationships with them was a lie. He admitted that he took their money and lost it in the casino. He said the reason for his actions was his 20-year gambling addiction.
Another rehabilitation plan
Giblin told the court he had a plan in place to get help for his addiction and turn his life around.
“I need inpatient therapy. I need rehabilitation,” Giblin said. “I was never evaluated to find out the extent of my problem. I need to stop gambling.”
“You need to stop stealing,” Judge Kugler retorted.
“I need to change my criminal ways,” Giblin persisted. “Once I get on the exclusion list, it will solve my problems. Isn’t gambling a sickness?”
“You may convince yourself that you’re sick,” the judge replied. “I don’t know if you’re sick or not. I do know that you’re a crook, a scam artist. Until you face up to that, you’ll never solve this.”
Giblin continued to protest that his problem was a gambling addiction. “I’m being as serious as I can be,” he said. “I want the help. I want to stop stealing, stop fraud and stop the scams. I want to get myself going in the right direction.”
“Bad person”
Judge Kugler didn’t buy it.
The judge pointed out that Giblin had more than 100 victims. He also had 33 prior convictions and had been sentenced to incarceration 16 times. Judge Kugler noted that Giblin had told the Colorado court that he had a plan to deal with his gambling addiction, but didn’t follow through.
“There is no question in my mind that as soon as he gets out of prison, he’ll go back to gambling,” Judge Kugler said. “So the most important thing I can do is protect the public. I can’t mend broken hearts or restore self-esteem. I can try to get some money back.”
The judge addressed Giblin directly:
“Frankly, I’m not persuaded that gambling is the issue. I can’t make you stop stealing money, but I can make it more difficult. All I’m trying to accomplish is protect society from you. You are a bad person.”
Commentary on the Patrick Giblin case in the Lovefraud Blog, including the text of his “apology.”
