A Southern California businessman is heading to trial after a federal judge ruled that there is enough evidence to let a jury hear his claim that he was drugged with ketamine while playing at the MGM Grand in 2021.
Dwight Manley claims that during his incapacitated state, MGM increased his credit limit from $1m to $3.5m, which contributed to him losing $3m.
Some of the key evidence mentioned in a transcript, obtained by the Nevada Current, includes a hair drug test, surveillance footage of the preparation of his drink, text messages from his casino host saying he looked “drunk or wasted,” and 11 other past drugging complaints that the plaintiff obtained from MGM during the discovery phase.
defense argued that Manley paid $560,000 on his flight home
MGM Resorts claims that the drug test wasn’t conclusive and Manley just doesn’t want to pay back his gambling debts. The defense argued that Manley paid $560,000 on his flight home and didn’t stop payments on his markers.
Manley says he paid to protect his reputation, expecting reimbursement once the drugging was confirmed. He said that he informed the casino about his suspicions of being spiked the previous day and three days later sent a preservation demand letter to MGM.
The judge declined MGM’s request to dismiss the case, saying that the disputed facts are for a jury to weigh. A settlement conference will precede the trial.
