It’s been an odd stretch for pro poker players and what appears to be an epidemic of hubris making the rounds we saw pro poker blogger Jay Newnum get probation for fishing into a dealer’s tip box and extracting nearly $700 with chopsticks at Foxwoods during their Mega Stack Challenge tournament series, and now comes news that pro player Christian Lusardi has been arrested in connection with $2.7 million in counterfeit chips at the Borgata during their Winter Open series amongst them: first.

But that is the just the tip of the iceberg in the utter weirdness department, because this latest tale has all of the makings of good film plot.

Not A Straight Flush

All accounts were frozen with 27 players remaining out of an original 4,814, each of whom had paid a $560 buy-in after play was terminated in Event #1 at Borgata just over a week ago after the discovery of counterfeit chips having been introduced into the action. The next step, of course, had been to learn from whence came said fake potato chips, even though you might think the endless surveillance cameras that permeate any casino were the break in this case, the latter emerged from a lot more strange source: clogged sewer pipes.

Turns out of the problem was discovered when some Harrah’s Resort casino workers had to find out what was causing a sewer that is massive; and what did they come upon, but $2.7 million in counterfeit Borgata potato chips, apparently flushed down the toilet. We assume not all at one time, but nonetheless, pretty impressive that the casino’s sewer system may even accept that much roughage, isn’t it?

It all began to unravel when resort guests called in with complaints of leaky pipes water that is dripping their spaces. The source of the pipe clog was traced to pro player Christian Lusardi, 42; the Fayetteville, North Carolina player had been staying within the originating room, according to detectives.

Caught, charged and arrested

Lusardi had very long taken off from Harrah’s after their flush that is royal had been discovered and arrested by New Jersey State Police midday on Friday at a local Super 8 Motel in Atlantic City; no word on how the authorities had the ability to follow along with Lusardi’s paper or should we state, chip path to get their man. He is been charged with rigging a publicly exhibited contest, simply for beginners. It’s perhaps not yet clear if Lusardi acted alone, or if other accomplices could have been involved as well. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has been area of the process that is investigative, needless to say.

It will take a complete lot to surprise casino execs, but Borgata’s senior vice president Joe Lupo says this example did the trick for him.

‘This may be the very first time we’ve had anything like this happen within our 10 years in business, and it’s the first time I’ve seen this in my own 27 years in gaming,’ said Lupo.

‘The investigation by the DGE and the State Police is ongoing and Borgata remains under your order the DGE issued last week,’ added Lupo. ‘Borgata will continue to do business with the DGE and hawaii Police until this matter is concluded and an order that is final issued by the DGE regarding the resolution of Event I.’

The implications and how this is handled by both Borgata and legislation enforcement are complex indeed, as the fake chips obviously affected the outcome of the big event up to the last three tables were frozen. Authorities now state that Lusardi included counterfeit potato chips to his stacks more than once through the event; he ended up winning $6,814 an amount we’re confident he won’t be keeping.

Not interestingly given their side, Lusardi had been a hefty chip leader in the beginning into the tourney, with 519,000 in his piles in the beginning of Day Two; that alone granted him a $2,000 bonus, based on news reports.

Besides the pipe-clogging chips which was the very first tip of foul play Borgata workers additionally found another $800,000 worth of fake chips had been introduced into play in the event. At that point, regulators put the kibosh on the event and shut it down.

Apparently, this is not Lusardi’s very first fall from gambling grace: back in 2008, he was one of the dozen charged with illegal gambling operations and alcohol sales in his hometown of Fayetteville. Along side cards and potato chips, news reports said $12,000 in cash was found in his home.

Perhaps this tale can most useful be summed by Ryan Messick, a player who was eliminated from the Borgata occasion early.

‘ The fact that this person flushed the chips down the toilet, that just has to be the stupidest thing I’ve have you ever heard,’ noted Messick. ‘ There ended up being no way he wasn’t going to be learned.’

Meanwhile, the culprit will have the required time to contemplate clogged toilets; he was taken to the Atlantic County Justice Facility when he couldn’t meet the $300,000 bail requirement.