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plural thimbleriggers
Someone who cheats by thimblerigging, or similar tricks involving sleight of hand. quotations examples
“ […] Them rich fellers, they don't make no bad breaks with their money. They watch it all th' time b'cause they know blame well there ain't hardly room fer their feet fer th' pikers an' tin-horns an' thimble-riggers what are layin' fer 'em. […] ”
1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock
"Mrs Kane has been filling us in on some background information on Owen." The woman nodded, drumming her nicotined fingers. "And I have been assuring her that the boys who arrive here thimbleriggers and termagants are the least of our worries. But we do not send them out that way. Do we, Brother?"
1980, Bernard MacLaverty, chapter 6, in Lamb, paperback edition, King Penguin, published 1981, page 50