New Jersey Teacher Arrested in $1,250 Casino Hotel Robbery at Harrah's Atlantic City

Amanda Crafts, a 35-year-old computer teacher at Middle Township Middle School in Cape May County, New Jersey, was arrested on October 9 in connection with an alleged robbery at Harrah's Resort Atlantic City. According to criminal complaints, Crafts and co-defendant Veda Engel, 23, are accused of stealing $1,250 from a man during a sexual encounter at the casino hotel.

Investigators allege the incident began when the man met Engel at Caesars Atlantic City. After exchanging contact information, Engel invited him to join her and Crafts in a room at Harrah's later that evening. The encounter allegedly turned criminal when the man was undressed. Court documents claim Crafts restrained the man on the bed to prevent him from moving freely while Engel used the man's iPhone and its facial recognition technology to access his payment services. Crafts allegedly kept the man pinned down while Engel made four Apple Pay transfers totaling $1,250 to Crafts' account. The man contacted police after the encounter ended, with the complaint alleging Engel indicated the payment concluded their arrangement.

Crafts faces charges of theft and conspiracy to commit robbery, while Engel faces theft, conspiracy, and prostitution charges. Engel is also facing a separate prostitution charge related to an alleged encounter with an undercover New Jersey State Police detective at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in December 2025.

Crafts maintains her innocence through her attorney, Charles Peruto Jr., who has denied that his client restrained the man or participated in taking his money. Peruto stated that Crafts believed she was simply going to continue partying and knew nothing about any commercial sex arrangement. He emphasized that she was not involved in the theft and intends to fight the allegations in court rather than accept a plea deal. At an earlier hearing, Crafts told a judge she had never been arrested before and felt she had been caught up in a bad situation.

Both defendants were released on October 15 under pretrial supervision with conditions requiring regular court check-ins and prohibiting contact with each other or the alleged victim. The school district notified parents and staff on October 19 that Crafts no longer worked there.

This incident reflects broader security concerns that persist across the Atlantic City gaming market, where operators continue to navigate complex liability issues involving on-premises criminal activity. The case underscores the operational challenges casino properties face in monitoring and preventing crimes occurring within guest rooms, particularly those involving sophisticated payment fraud using mobile authentication technologies. As Atlantic City maintains its position as a major U.S. gaming destination alongside operators like Caesars, Borgata, and others, incidents like this highlight the intersection of casino security protocols and evolving criminal tactics.