While global casino operator, Harrah's has done much to help with worthwhile causes in the past, a recent case shows that Harrah's is very much capable of doing dirty business as well. A San Diego jury recently found Harrah's to be guilty of tampering and interfering with a casino project between Caesar's Entertainment and the Pauma Band of Luiseno Mission Indians in northern Sand Diego County. As such, the Pauma tribe was awarded with $30 million in damages and compensation.

Stemming as far back as June of 2004, the foul play began when the Pauma Tribe inked a deal with Caesars Entertainment to build a $300 million casino resort on the Pauma Yuima Reservation in North Sand Diego, California. One month later, Harrah's announced their plans to merge with Caesar's - a move that incited Harrah's executives to eye the proposed Pauma casino resort with concern.

According to prosecution's argument at trial, Harrah's took steps to snuff the Caesar's project because Harrah's operated a nearby casino on the Rincon Indian Reservation adjacent to the Pauma Yuima Reservation. Because of a conflict of interest, as well as avoiding an inevitable suit with the Rincon tribe, Harrah's decided it best to put an end to the Pauma casino resort without anybody knowing about it. However, there actions were not as discreet as they thought they would, and the San Diego jury took these to heart.

The jury concluded that as a result of direct actions by Harrah's, the Caesar's Pauma casino resort was stopped from being built, and that the Pauma tribe was entitled to $30 million in lost profit and planning costs. The Pauma tribe continues to operate the Pauma Casino, nested in the middle of a citrus grove in the lush Pauma Valley.