When you see live poker portrayed in movies and TV shows, the game is often played by gangsters, in a seedy bar, or while some crime takes place. While in reality, poker is a legit and serious game that takes place in legal venues, it still has a somewhat notorious reputation.
The main reason for this phenomenon probably lies in the fact that poker-related crime still takes place occasionally, and when it becomes common knowledge, the nature of the game makes the crimes even more newsworthy.
When large sums of money are involved, the temptation can be too much for some people, which is why cheating or stealing happens from time to time in the poker world.
Luckily, the technology used by online poker venues and security measures taken by brick-and-mortar establishments manage to stop the majority of poker crimes from happening, but some still manage to slip through the cracks.
Several of these poker-related crimes took place in 2024 all over the world - are you ready to hear about some of the most scandalous stories of the year so far?
Poker Game Host Ordered to Forfeit Nearly $620,000
The Wellington High Court in New Zealand has ordered Thomas Mackay Taniwha to forfeit almost $620,000 after charging him with illegal gambling and money laundering.
According to reports, Taniwha hosted high-stakes poker games both live and online, generating a decent profit along the way. After a two-year investigation into the matter by the Police Asset Recovery Unit, Taniwha finally received his court order on July 29.
Things began to unravel back in 2022 when the police issued a search warrant for the unfortunate poker enthusiast. The investigators uncovered $25,700 in cash and a designated room for hosting poker games.
In April of this year, Taniwha was fined $16,500 for running an illegal gambling room, and now the court decided to forfeit more than $600,000 which the police claimed were the profits generated from said poker room.
Concern Over WSOP Winner Using Tech
Jonathan Tamayo won over $10,000,000 in a WSOP event, but instead of celebrating this spectacular achievement, he had to deal with backlash over how he got his win.
In this particular event, Tamayo managed to burst the bubble after multiple grueling days of playing, facing off against an amateur player – Jordan Griff – by the end of day 10.
After winning a big hand, Tamayo was seen celebrating and consulting with his coaching team at the rail, which included Dominik Nitsche, who was using a laptop to advise the bracelet winner on his strategy.
People claimed that Tamayo used simulators and possibly other strategy tools to help him decide on a winning strategy. While on paper, there is nothing wrong with his actions, fans kicked up a storm over the matter on social media.
Since his opponent, who – might we remind you – is an amateur, didn't have the same tools at his disposal, they thought that using simulators during such an important stage of the event was unfair. Some even claimed that laptops or any other devices shouldn't be allowed in the room altogether.
When being interviewed, Tamayo said that he didn't think of what his team brought into the room as the tournament was ongoing. However, he said that if the event organizers decide to ban electronic devices, he will surely comply with the rules. While not technically a cheating scandal, many fans of the game saw this win as an unfair one.
Money Stolen from a Poker Pro's Car in Broad Daylight
Mo Nuwwarah, poker player and writer, claimed that he was a victim of a robbery outside an Italian restaurant in Las Vegas. About an hour after arriving at the restaurant, Nuwwarah was informed that his car was broken into, which was a major concern as a bag with a substantial amount of cash was in said car.
Unfortunately, the poker player discovered his bag was indeed stolen once he got to the car, which means he lost a five-figure amount of money. According to his report, Nuwwarah was on his way to compete in a WSOP when the incident took place, which explained why he was in possession of such a large amount of money in cash.
There is no way of knowing whether the poker player was specifically targeted, but a similar thing happened in New York, as a 45-year-old man who was on his way to a poker event was robbed at gunpoint while leaving his hotel. It is still unclear whether the thief was aware that the poker player was in possession of more than $250,000 in cash and if he was targeted due to his connection with poker or not.
Play Poker & Remain Cautious
To avoid being involved in any poker-related scandals, you should learn from these stories and be careful before you place your money on the line. First of all, only choose reliable and legal gambling venues to place bets at, so as to avoid any problems with the law.
Also, if you choose to place poker live instead of online, don't divulge unnecessary personal information to strangers, as you can't know what their intentions are.
That said, it's always safer to play online (hint, hint: Everygame Poker) where you're not walking around town with tons of cash.
And lastly, make sure that you follow the rules of the event or the online venue you're playing in to a T, so no one would be able to doubt your wins when they occur.