[h=1]Phuc Dat Bich: Australian with 'misleading' name thanks supporters[/h]
<figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width lead" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 32px -54.2188px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">
Image copyrightPhuc Dat Bich<figcaption class="media-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;">Image captionPhuc Dat Bich later thanked people who were supportive of "certain names that populate in different cultures"</figcaption></figure>An Australian man, Phuc Dat Bich, has said he is glad his fight to use his name on Facebook has made people happy.
Mr Bich, who is of Vietnamese origin, shot to fame last week over his complaint that his account had been shut down because Facebook considered his name fake or misleading.
The post dated back to January, but received hundreds of thousands of likes late last week.
Mr Bich said he hoped he had "played a part in brightening your days".
<figure class="media-with-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px -24.6406px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);"><figure class="media-player" data-playable="**"settings":**"counterName":"news.world.australia.story.34897404.page","edition":"US","pageType":"eav2","uniqueID":"34897404","ui":**"locale":**"lang":"en-gb"}},"externalEmbedUrl":"http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-australia-34897404\/embed","insideIframe":false,"playlistObject":**"title":"The BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich","holdingImageURL":null,"guidance":null,"simulcast":false,"liveRewind":false,"embedRights":"blocked","items":[**"vpid":"p038wcjb","live":false,"duration":35,"kind":"programme"}],"summary":"The BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich"}},"otherSettings":**"advertisingAllowed":true,"continuousPlayCfg":**"enabled":false},"isAutoplayOnForAudience":false,"unProcessedImageUrl":"http:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/12C48\/production\/_86827867_86827866.jpg"}}" id="media-player-1" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 346.609px; vertical-align: baseline; height: 0px;">Jump media player
Media player help
Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
</figure>
<figcaption class="media-with-caption__caption" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(236, 236, 236); font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.8125rem; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;">Media captionThe BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich</figcaption></figure>His name when properly pronounced in Vietnamese, which is a tonal language, sounds like "Phoo Da Bi".
Mr Bich originally posted his complaint on 28 January, accompanied with his passport photo, saying: "I find it highly irritating the fact that nobody seems to believe me when I say that my full legal name is how you see it.
<figure class="media-landscape no-caption full-width" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px -24.6406px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both;">
</figure>"I've been accused of using a false and misleading name of which I find very offensive," the 23-year-old bank worker wrote.
"Is it because I'm Asian? Is it?"
<figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px -24.6406px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">
Image copyrightFacebook<figcaption class="media-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;">Image captionMr Phuc received thousands of new followers over the weekend</figcaption></figure>Thousands of people left comments on his post, with some advising him to change his name. Others, however, left encouraging messages. It was picked up around the world.
On Sunday night, Mr Bich wrote a new post saying he was "very grateful to those who have been supportive of certain names that populate in different cultures."
"We live in a diverse and multicultural society and the fact that there are people out there who are supportive and encouraging really makes me happy," Mr Bich wrote.
"I am glad and honoured to be able to make people happy by simply making them laugh at something that appears outrageous and ridiculous."
Facebook has not commented directly on Mr Bich's case, but its policy on usernames state that people "provide the name they use in real life" for safety reasons, and that it "should be your authentic identity; as your friends call you in real life and as our acceptable identification forms would show", such as passports.
Among other things it asks users to refrain from using "offensive or suggestive words of any kind" in their Facebook names.
- 23 November 2015
- From the sectionAustralia
<figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width lead" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 32px -54.2188px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">
Mr Bich, who is of Vietnamese origin, shot to fame last week over his complaint that his account had been shut down because Facebook considered his name fake or misleading.
The post dated back to January, but received hundreds of thousands of likes late last week.
Mr Bich said he hoped he had "played a part in brightening your days".
<figure class="media-with-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px -24.6406px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);"><figure class="media-player" data-playable="**"settings":**"counterName":"news.world.australia.story.34897404.page","edition":"US","pageType":"eav2","uniqueID":"34897404","ui":**"locale":**"lang":"en-gb"}},"externalEmbedUrl":"http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-australia-34897404\/embed","insideIframe":false,"playlistObject":**"title":"The BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich","holdingImageURL":null,"guidance":null,"simulcast":false,"liveRewind":false,"embedRights":"blocked","items":[**"vpid":"p038wcjb","live":false,"duration":35,"kind":"programme"}],"summary":"The BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich"}},"otherSettings":**"advertisingAllowed":true,"continuousPlayCfg":**"enabled":false},"isAutoplayOnForAudience":false,"unProcessedImageUrl":"http:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/12C48\/production\/_86827867_86827866.jpg"}}" id="media-player-1" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 346.609px; vertical-align: baseline; height: 0px;">Jump media player
Media player help
Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
</figure>
<figcaption class="media-with-caption__caption" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(236, 236, 236); font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.8125rem; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;">Media captionThe BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich</figcaption></figure>His name when properly pronounced in Vietnamese, which is a tonal language, sounds like "Phoo Da Bi".
Mr Bich originally posted his complaint on 28 January, accompanied with his passport photo, saying: "I find it highly irritating the fact that nobody seems to believe me when I say that my full legal name is how you see it.
<figure class="media-landscape no-caption full-width" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px -24.6406px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both;">
"Is it because I'm Asian? Is it?"
<figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px -24.6406px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">
On Sunday night, Mr Bich wrote a new post saying he was "very grateful to those who have been supportive of certain names that populate in different cultures."
"We live in a diverse and multicultural society and the fact that there are people out there who are supportive and encouraging really makes me happy," Mr Bich wrote.
"I am glad and honoured to be able to make people happy by simply making them laugh at something that appears outrageous and ridiculous."
Facebook has not commented directly on Mr Bich's case, but its policy on usernames state that people "provide the name they use in real life" for safety reasons, and that it "should be your authentic identity; as your friends call you in real life and as our acceptable identification forms would show", such as passports.
Among other things it asks users to refrain from using "offensive or suggestive words of any kind" in their Facebook names.
[h=1]Phuc Dat Bich admits hoax in Facebook name battle[/h]
<figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width lead" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 32px -54.2188px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">
Image copyright'Phuc Dat Bich'<figcaption class="media-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;">Image captionPhuc Dat Bich later thanked people who were supportive of "certain names that populate in different cultures"</figcaption></figure>An Australian calling himself Phuc Dat Bich, who made global headlines after saying he was fighting to use his real name on Facebook, admits it was hoax.
"Mr Bich" said on Facebook his real name was "Joe Carr" (or perhaps joker).
He said what had started as a joke between friends "became a prank that made a fool out of the media".
But he said it also brought out the best in people and gave encouragement to people with "truly interesting and idiosyncratic names".
The hoaxer is of Vietnamese origin. His name when properly pronounced in Vietnamese, which is a tonal language, sounds like "Phoo Da Bi".
Facebook have not responded to BBC requests for comment.
[h=2]Phooled by a Joe Carr - Nga Pham, BBC Vietnamese[/h]I have to admit I fell for the prank by Mr Bich Phuc Joe, or whoever he is.
In the newsroom, dealing day-in-day-out with news that's often about disasters, both natural and man-made, the story of an unfortunately named person who thanked the community for their support seemed appealing.
Being Vietnamese, I knew that Bich was not a common surname (but not impossible) in Vietnam, but many immigrants change their names or get them in the wrong order when registering in their new countries. Vietnamese names are highly confusing to say the least.
After the story came out on the BBC News website, I received many emails from readers saying it had made them laugh - I hope they are still laughing now, even though we've all been hoaxed.
<figure class="media-with-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px -24.6406px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);"><figure class="media-player" data-playable="**"settings":**"counterName":"news.world.australia.story.34918491.page","edition":"US","pageType":"eav2","uniqueID":"34918491","ui":**"locale":**"lang":"en-gb"}},"externalEmbedUrl":"http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-australia-34918491\/embed","insideIframe":false,"playlistObject":**"title":"The BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich","holdingImageURL":null,"guidance":null,"simulcast":false,"liveRewind":false,"embedRights":"blocked","items":[**"vpid":"p038wcjb","live":false,"duration":35,"kind":"programme"}],"summary":"The BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich"}},"otherSettings":**"advertisingAllowed":true,"continuousPlayCfg":**"enabled":false},"isAutoplayOnForAudience":false,"unProcessedImageUrl":"http:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/12C48\/production\/_86827867_86827866.jpg"}}" id="media-player-1" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 346.609px; vertical-align: baseline; height: 0px;">Jump media player
Media player help
Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
</figure>
<figcaption class="media-with-caption__caption" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(236, 236, 236); font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.8125rem; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;">Media captionThe BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich</figcaption></figure>
The Facebook user, whose profile still shows him as Phuc Dat Bich, had said back in January that he found it "highly irritating the fact that nobody seems to believe me when I say that my full legal name is how you see it".
He posted a picture of his passport showing his name, and said he had had his Facebook account "shut down multiple times". Posts under that name date back to at least 2014.
[h=2]'Levity and humanity'[/h]The story was picked up last week - first by social media then by the world's media, including by the BBC.
Earlier this week, he even went as far as thanking his supporters, saying he hoped he had "played a part in brightening your days".
But in a surprise on Wednesday he said: "Do you remember the story; The boy who cried wolf?
"Imagine that boy grew up into a mischievous man with 21st Century technology at his finger tips.
"What started as a joke between friends, became a prank that made a fool out of the media.
<figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px -24.6406px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">
Image copyrightFacebook<figcaption class="media-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;">Image captionMr Phuc received thousands of new followers over the weekend</figcaption></figure>But he also said Facebook "needs to understand that it is utterly impossible to legitimise a place where there will always be pranksters and tricksters".
Mr Bich/Carr said his "ordeal" had taught him "not to trust the credibility of the media" and that it "goes to show that an average joe like myself can con the biggest news sources with ease".
But he also praised the response to his prank saying it "didn't bring out the anger and darkness that we often see on the internet, but it brought a levity and humanity in a time we need it most."
It is not clear if he photoshopped his passport. Physically altering a valid passport would be illegal.
- 1 hour ago
- From the sectionAustralia
<figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width lead" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 32px -54.2188px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">
"Mr Bich" said on Facebook his real name was "Joe Carr" (or perhaps joker).
He said what had started as a joke between friends "became a prank that made a fool out of the media".
But he said it also brought out the best in people and gave encouragement to people with "truly interesting and idiosyncratic names".
The hoaxer is of Vietnamese origin. His name when properly pronounced in Vietnamese, which is a tonal language, sounds like "Phoo Da Bi".
Facebook have not responded to BBC requests for comment.
[h=2]Phooled by a Joe Carr - Nga Pham, BBC Vietnamese[/h]I have to admit I fell for the prank by Mr Bich Phuc Joe, or whoever he is.
In the newsroom, dealing day-in-day-out with news that's often about disasters, both natural and man-made, the story of an unfortunately named person who thanked the community for their support seemed appealing.
Being Vietnamese, I knew that Bich was not a common surname (but not impossible) in Vietnam, but many immigrants change their names or get them in the wrong order when registering in their new countries. Vietnamese names are highly confusing to say the least.
After the story came out on the BBC News website, I received many emails from readers saying it had made them laugh - I hope they are still laughing now, even though we've all been hoaxed.
<figure class="media-with-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px -24.6406px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);"><figure class="media-player" data-playable="**"settings":**"counterName":"news.world.australia.story.34918491.page","edition":"US","pageType":"eav2","uniqueID":"34918491","ui":**"locale":**"lang":"en-gb"}},"externalEmbedUrl":"http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-australia-34918491\/embed","insideIframe":false,"playlistObject":**"title":"The BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich","holdingImageURL":null,"guidance":null,"simulcast":false,"liveRewind":false,"embedRights":"blocked","items":[**"vpid":"p038wcjb","live":false,"duration":35,"kind":"programme"}],"summary":"The BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich"}},"otherSettings":**"advertisingAllowed":true,"continuousPlayCfg":**"enabled":false},"isAutoplayOnForAudience":false,"unProcessedImageUrl":"http:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/12C48\/production\/_86827867_86827866.jpg"}}" id="media-player-1" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 346.609px; vertical-align: baseline; height: 0px;">Jump media player
Media player help
Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
</figure>
<figcaption class="media-with-caption__caption" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(236, 236, 236); font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.8125rem; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;">Media captionThe BBC's Nga Pham explains how to pronounce the Vietnamese name Phuc Dat Bich</figcaption></figure>
The Facebook user, whose profile still shows him as Phuc Dat Bich, had said back in January that he found it "highly irritating the fact that nobody seems to believe me when I say that my full legal name is how you see it".
He posted a picture of his passport showing his name, and said he had had his Facebook account "shut down multiple times". Posts under that name date back to at least 2014.
[h=2]'Levity and humanity'[/h]The story was picked up last week - first by social media then by the world's media, including by the BBC.
Earlier this week, he even went as far as thanking his supporters, saying he hoped he had "played a part in brightening your days".
But in a surprise on Wednesday he said: "Do you remember the story; The boy who cried wolf?
"Imagine that boy grew up into a mischievous man with 21st Century technology at his finger tips.
"What started as a joke between friends, became a prank that made a fool out of the media.
<figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px -24.6406px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; background-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">
Mr Bich/Carr said his "ordeal" had taught him "not to trust the credibility of the media" and that it "goes to show that an average joe like myself can con the biggest news sources with ease".
But he also praised the response to his prank saying it "didn't bring out the anger and darkness that we often see on the internet, but it brought a levity and humanity in a time we need it most."
It is not clear if he photoshopped his passport. Physically altering a valid passport would be illegal.
Zachary Tunbridge @ZTunbridge
@EPTLive he sat straight away to troll others too #EPTLive pic.twitter.com/UaHLDHI5HO
Joe Stapleton – @Stapes
Guy wins $1,000,000 Spin N Go and immediately sits at $0.02/$0.04 table to troll. Winner. (from @ZTunbridge)
https://mobile.twitter.com/Stapes/status/676742799094628353
@EPTLive he sat straight away to troll others too #EPTLive pic.twitter.com/UaHLDHI5HO
Joe Stapleton – @Stapes
Guy wins $1,000,000 Spin N Go and immediately sits at $0.02/$0.04 table to troll. Winner. (from @ZTunbridge)
https://mobile.twitter.com/Stapes/status/676742799094628353
[h=1]Amorous couple's ride on the High Roller ends with felony arrest[/h]
<figure class="image media-4617756 mlink even" style="text-rendering: geometricPrecision; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: top; display: inline-block; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 640px; min-height: 430px;">
</figcaption></figure><figure class="image media-4617761 mlink odd" style="text-rendering: geometricPrecision; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: top; display: inline-block; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 640px; min-height: 430px;">
</figcaption></figure><figure class="image media-4617766 mlink even" style="text-rendering: geometricPrecision; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: top; display: inline-block; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 640px; min-height: 430px;">
</figcaption></figure><figure class="image media-4617771 mlink odd" style="text-rendering: geometricPrecision; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: top; display: inline-block; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 640px; min-height: 430px;">
</figcaption></figure>
image
By David Ferrara
Las Vegas ***************
The High Roller Club grew by two on the afternoon of Feb. 5, when a security officer noticed the only passengers in Cabin 16, a man and woman, smoking and undressing.
"The guests in Cabin 17 didn't seem to notice, but the guests in Cabin 15 not only noticed but were video recording the acts" with their cell phones, according to court documents.
Surveillance video — not yet made public — also caught the action on the Caesars Entertainment attraction at the center-Strip Linq.
Security officers used the intercom to tell the amorous couple to "please put all cigarettes out and put all clothes back on."
They stopped, briefly sat down, but then went back at it. They refused a second request to end the tryst.
That's when the Las Vegas police were called.
The 550-foot-diameter wheel with its 28 cabins each big enough to hold 40 people didn't stop rolling — it's continual motion. At the end of the 30-minute ride the fully clothed tourists, Chloe Scordianos, 21, of Hicksville, NY, and Philip Frank Panzica III, 27, of Houston, Texas, were pulled from the giant glass ball and charged with committing sex acts in public, a felony.
The criminal complaint alleges extensive nudity and cunnilingus on the world's tallest observation wheel, which is billed as "The Happiest Half Hour in Vegas!"
"They both said they were just having a good time and didn't think anyone would notice," the arresting officers wrote in their report.
Police watched the video and "clearly saw Scordianos laying on her back in the center of the cabin. Panzica was on his knees over Scordianos and removed her dress. He also removed his clothes while standing up, exposing his penis and bare buttocks, allowing anyone in public to see."
It wasn't the first time people were spotted having sex in the all-glass cabins of the High Roller, which opened in 2014, the report stated. Linq managers told Metro that public indecency is happening more and more, "which they fear will impact the reputation and business operations."
VitalVegas.com even offers "11 Vital Tips for Having Sex on the High Roller," which include "bring a blanket," "use the cover of darkness," "tip a ride attendant," "be prepared for some awkward," and "be fearless."
Metro could not immediately provide statistics about the frequency of arrests at the High Roller, and a Caesars spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment.
Scordianos and Panzica were booked in the Clark County Detention Center and later posted $3,000 bail. They were arraigned in Las Vegas Justice Court on Tuesday, and are expected back in court next month.
It's unclear how or where the two met. Friday was Scordianos' 21st birthday.
"Ms. Scordianos denies the allegations that this was a public sex act," said her lawyer, Chris Rasmussen. "People who ride the Linq believe they have an expectation of privacy in the individual cars."
