Las Vegas Police Officer Accused of Using Counterfeit Money to Target Black Men in Casino Arrests
A Las Vegas police sergeant faces charges after allegedly orchestrating false arrests targeting primarily Black men at casinos. According to court documents, Sgt. Kevin Menon attempted to plant counterfeit money on potential victims at The Cromwell casino.
Businessman in dark suit
Menon, who led a team of officers on the Strip, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to possession of child pornography after approximately 500 indecent images were discovered during a raid of his home in August.
Security footage from The Cromwell shows Menon, dressed in plain clothes, attempting to hand counterfeit bills to two casino patrons who refused and walked away. Uniformed officers then staged Menon's arrest before detaining and searching the two men.
One victim's fiancée called 911 to report racial profiling, stating officers "snatched up my fiancé and his friend, had him in handcuffs, slammed him against the wall" without explanation before claiming they had the wrong person.
The investigation began after officers on Menon's team reported his suspicious tactics to the Las Vegas police union. He was arrested on August 30 and initially placed on paid leave, though the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has since suspended his pay.
Menon is currently on trial for possession of child sexual abuse material, with a separate jury trial for illegal detention charges scheduled for March.