CHEROKEE, N.C. -- Police said they are investigating a ring aimed at cheating a casino out of nearly $300,000 in three weeks.

The money was stolen from Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee County, N.C.

Police said a 26-year-old blackjack dealer was at the center of the scam. They said the dealer would pay out wins that did not really happen to 11 players in exchange for kickbacks from their fraudulent winnings.

Over a three week period, the group stole $286,000 from the casino, police said.

“Our extensive regulatory system and rules are primarily responsible for detecting this scheme,” said the Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission in a statement Wednesday. “We actively pursue enforcement and will be pushing for full prosecution of all those involved in this theft.”

A spokesman for the Cherokee Indian Tribe Police Department said no arrests have been made yet, because they are waiting to see if the FBI will take over the case.