Police: Trio Kidnapped and Beat Man at MGM Grand Over Alleged Fake Sports Betting Scheme

• Three Michigan men were arrested this week for allegedly kidnapping and beating New Yorker Naved Azim in an MGM Grand hotel room
• The suspects — a dentist, a DJ, and a physical therapist — accused the victim of creating fake winning DraftKings tickets for $325,000 in sports bets he promised to place but never did 
• The suspects face multiple felony charges for allegedly beating Azim with pool cues and making death threats to his family 

It sounds like the setup to a bad joke, but Las Vegas police say it’s a real felony: a Michigan dentist, a DJ, and a physical therapist were arrested for allegedly luring a man to a strip hotel over a fake betting scheme.

According to an arrest report obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, New Yorker Naved Azim told investigators he was lured to a room at the MGM Grand the previous day by Ahmad Harb and Issa Hamade, both 32, and Sobhi Sobh, 33, who accused Azim of fabricating sports-betting tickets that cheated Harb out of $325,000 in winnings.

Police say the suspects ambushed Azim once he entered the room, beating him with pool cues, strangling him, and suffocating him with a pillow. They also say the trio placed a video call to Azim’s father, threatening harm unless he made good on his debt immediately.

Azim told police he initially met Harb, identified in police documents as a DJ, through a bookie and began placing sports wagers on Harb’s behalf. At one point, Harb allegedly asked him to place a $2,300 bet on a New York Knicks game that would have paid out roughly $20,000.

Azim admitted he never placed the wager, instead created a fake winning DraftKings betting ticket using a phone app. He had hoped that Harb would eventually lose a bet, allowing the deception to collapse without revealing itself. But Harb’s wagers kept hitting, police say, inflating his fictional balance into six-figure territory.

During the MGM Grand confrontation, investigators say, the three suspects also showed Azim photographs and addresses of his family members, warning they would “go after” them if he failed to honor his debts.

The Charges

Harb, Hamade (a licensed dentist) and Sobh (the physical therapist) were arrested on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping, extortion, conspiracy, battery with intent to commit mayhem, robbery or grand larceny, and coercion with force or threats.

Defense attorneys pushed back Las Vegas Justice Court on Thursday. Michael Troiano, representing Hamade, said his client had no criminal history and was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He also described Azim’s actions as “fraudulent.”

Ryan Helmick, attorney for Sobh, told reporters there was “a lot to uncover” in what he described as a complicated case.

Court records show two of the men had posted $100,000 bond as of Saturday and were awaiting release under orders not to contact Azim.

Las Vegas police did not immediately respond to a request for comment after being approached by Casino.org.