It is been an odd stretch for pro poker players and what seems 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 associated with iceberg in the utter weirdness division, because this latest tale has all the makings of a good movie plot.

Not A Straight Flush

After play had been terminated in Event #1 at Borgata just over a week ago after the development of fake chips having been introduced into the action all accounts were frozen with 27 players staying out of an original 4,814, each of whom had compensated a $560 buy-in. The step that is next of course, had been to discover from whence came said fake potato chips, and while you might think the endless surveillance cameras that permeate any casino were the break in this case, the latter emerged from a lot more bizarre source: clogged sewer pipes.

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

It all began to unravel when hotel guests called in with complaints of leaky pipes dripping water into their rooms. The source of the pipeline clog was traced to pro player Christian Lusardi, 42; the Fayetteville, new york player had been staying within the originating room, according to investigators.

Caught, Arrested and Charged

Lusardi had long taken removed from Harrah’s after his flush that is royal was discovered and arrested by New Jersey State Police midday on Friday at a local Super 8 Motel in Atlantic City; no word how the authorities had the ability to adhere to Lusardi’s paper or should we state, chip trail to get their man. He is been charged with rigging a contest that is publicly exhibited just for starters. It is not yet clear if Lusardi acted alone, or if other accomplices has been involved as well. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has been part of the process that is investigative, of course.

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

‘This is the very first time we’ve had anything like this happen inside our decade in business, and it’s the very first time I’ve seen this within my 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 work alongside the DGE and the State Police until this matter is determined and an order that is final issued by the DGE concerning the resolution of Event I.’

The implications and how this will be handled by both Borgata and law enforcement are complex indeed, as the chips that are fake affected the outcome of the big event up until the last three tables were frozen. Authorities now say that Lusardi included chips that are counterfeit his stacks more than once throughout the occasion; he ended up winning $6,814 a sum we’re pretty sure he won’t be keeping.

Not surprisingly given his edge, Lusardi was a chip that is hefty early on into the tourney, with 519,000 in his stacks in the beginning of Day Two; that alone granted him a $2,000 bonus, based on news reports.

In addition to the pipe-clogging chips that has been 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: right back in 2008, he had been one of a dozen charged with illegal gambling operations and alcohol sales in his hometown of Fayetteville. Along side myfreepokies.com cards and potato chips, news reports said $12,000 in money was found in his home.

Perhaps this whole tale can best be summed by Ryan Messick, a player whom was eliminated from the Borgata occasion early on.

‘ The fact that this guy flushed the chips down the toilet, that just has to function as the stupidest thing i have heard,’ noted Messick. ‘ There ended up being no method he had beenn’t likely to be discovered.’

Meanwhile, the culprit shall have enough time to contemplate clogged toilets; he had been taken to the Atlantic County Justice Facility when he could not meet the $300,000 bail requirement.