LA Game busted!
An email I got this morning from one of my regular players. Coming from this person, I consider it 100% legit:
Hey guys,
I'm sending this info out to you who run games &
tourneys, so you can take all necessary precautions.
Feel free to pass this on to anyone else, but if you
forward this email, PLEASE PLEASE REMOVE my name and
email address.
I was playing in a typical cash game tonight, no-limit
$20 buy-in. About 30 minutes into it, one guy busted
out and went to the ATM to get more money. Back came
8-10 LAPD with shotguns and TEKs [censored] drawn with a
search warrant. (This is not a joke.) One by one we
were handcuffed, searched, sat down. Thankfully they
let all us players go after about an hour, citing us
for illegal gambling. Court appearance to follow in a
few weeks, and probable fine. The guy running it,
don't know what he's facing. I was gone before they
dealt with him, possibly taking him downtown, don't
know. They were confiscating everything gambling
related from his place. Yup... our tax dollars hard at
work, with the most understaffed metropolitan police
force in the nation, spending money and time on stuff
like this.
I tell you all this so that you can screen your
players if you don't know them. You've got to do this
from now on or it could just be a matter of time. You
probably either have to know them, or friends need to
vouch for who they are. Particularly since most of you
post your games at various websites.
Those of you outside the Los Angeles City limits may
not be at risk. Depends upon your city's ordanance
about this. As I was released, the cop explained that
any type of gambling for money is against the law
within the city limits as it's a city (not state)
ordinance. (Thus the reason all the card clubs/casinos
are outside of city limits.)
I will likely continue to play in some home games
around town (guess it depends upon how much my fine
will be), but you all need to be VERY CAREFUL now.
SCREEN your players. I know that makes it harder to
get a full game at times, but you gotta do it.
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