Posted on: June 1, 2026, 06:16h.
Last updated on: June 1, 2026, 06:16h.
- Miami grifter accused of stealing cash and Rolex in shell game
- Victims allegedly lost thousands betting on a centuries-old street con
- Sleight of hand makes shell games effectively unwinnable for players
A Miami street grifter is facing felony charges after scamming passersby out of thousands of dollars using the oldest trick in the book – with some cunning psychology thrown in.
Alexander Bustillo was arrested last Wednesday, May 27, with a bag containing $17,000. He is accused of hoodwinking gullible victims using the “shell” or “cup-and-ball” game. The scam has been used to defraud unsuspecting marks on street corners since at least the 15th century – and it’s alive and well in 2026.
Two victims reported Bustillo to police after losing money on April 30 and May 14, respectively, according to a Miami Police Department arrest report. One victim was persuaded to bet $4,000 on the unwinnable game, while another lost $4,000 and a Rolex worth $7,000.
Sleight of Hand
A shell game – or its card-playing cousin, Three-Card Monte (also known as Find the Lady) – is a classic “short con” that at first appears very simple.
A player must find the ball under one of three cups or follow the “money card” among three face-down playing cards. In reality, though, there is no way for the player to win thanks to the trickster’s sleight of hand.
The winning card or ball may be secretly palmed away, switched, or otherwise manipulated. The scam is designed so that honest observation is not enough to win.
Often associates of the scammer are employed as shills who are seen winning to create the illusion that it’s a straight gambling game.
In the May 14 incident, police said a group of four scammers, including Bustillo, invited the victim and his girlfriend over to play. The girlfriend was challenged to bet $100. She guessed correctly and doubled her money.
Next, a man suspected of being a shill placed a $4,000 bet on the (conspicuously) wrong cup and lost. The girlfriend commented that she believed she knew which cup the ball was under, which convinced her boyfriend to bet $2,000, according to the report.
He lost, and then lost another $2,000 in the following round. Bustillo then invited him to bet his Rolex. If the victim lost, Bustillo would keep the watch, but if he won, Bustillo said he would pay him $15,000, according to police.
Cunning Psychology
At this point, Bustillo briefly turned his head away and one of the shills quickly lifted up a cup showing the victim the location of the ball. But this was a performance.
Now, believing he secretly knew the correct cup, the victim removed his watch, handed it to Bustillo, and made his selection. Bustillo asked him if he was sure of his choice, and he replied that he was. Of course, when the cup was lifted, the ball was nowhere to be seen.
The victim told police he tried to “work with” Bustillo to negotiate the return of his watch. When that failed, he contacted authorities.
Police later found Bustillo and his bag of cash in Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood. When they searched his home, they found a gun, a lot of jewelry, and four high-end watches.
Recent Comments