Yes, it may be an attempt at extortion but it is better to pay than to have this story running for another news cycle.
And I'm sure they'll get paid. They are wise in only asking for a paltry $10,000. This doesn't even qualify as pocket change for Caesar's Palace. They probably sweep more money than that off the floor every night.
Most of these scammers ask for exhorbitant sums like $50 million or some windfall amount.
Sometimes it pays not to be too greedy!
The El Cortez, yeah, I would believe it, but not Caesar's!