Poker player accused of co-hosting a $31mln fraud

A professional poker player from New York, Travell Thomas, who has live tournament earnings of $510,885, has been charged by the federal agents for being a part of fraudulent debt collection scam that stole almost $31,000,000 from the victims.

Thomas, who is one of the fifteen defendants, was named in the file as the co-owner, president and chief executive of the phoney debt firm that stole the millions between January 2010 and November 2014.

Official court papers explain in details the methods they used to accrue the massive figure. Victims were lead to believe that failing to clear debts was now a felony charge and that their driving licences would be confiscated. In one case a person with debt was threatened to undergo a dialysis.

The FBI said that roughly $750,000 in cash was paid to Thomas’ private account, some of which allegedly went to gambling expenses, tickets for professional sports games, his wedding reception, jewelry pieces and plastic surgery for his wife.

Thomas faces a maximum of 40 years in prison if he is found guilty of all the charges and convicted.

Scammers gonna scam

Add one more 0 and he would snap be free of all charges after plea deal. The difference between 31mill and 310mill like the FTP free roll.

Surprised this is big enough for news in the poker world for you guys to be reporting this. I have played with him a lot ($2/5 no-limit, $5-10 no-limit, $5-10 PLO). Also played with him a few times at home games. One of the home games I played at regularly happened to get hit and robbed at gunpoint when he was there (thankfully on the one night the entire Summer I decided not to go, talk about running good); not saying there is necessarily a connection though. He used to beat the low stakes games in the area pretty hard 5 or 6 years ago, now he is too weak to be a profitable player. He is a shady guy, does a lot of scummy things at the poker table. I'm acquaintances with someone who baby sits his kids, they told me a while back he is a great father, so I give him the benefit of the doubt because of that. He might be a criminal, might be a angle-shooting punk at the poker table, but at least he takes care of his kids. Hope the survivors of his going to jail end up OK.

*EDIT* I should say too weak to beat the $2/5 or higher cash games here, which are now abnormally hard due to the high ratio of pros to recreational players in the area. I think he is still profitable in tournaments though.

On November 23 2015 22:08 Defrag wrote: . In one case a person with debt was threatened to undergo a dialysis.

what?

On November 24 2015 10:16 blackjacki2 wrote: Show nested quote + On November 23 2015 22:08 Defrag wrote: . In one case a person with debt was threatened to undergo a dialysis. what?

the reclamation of excess waste to settle a debt

On November 24 2015 01:42 HungarianGOD wrote: Surprised this is big enough for news in the poker world for you guys to be reporting this. I have played with him a lot ($2/5 no-limit, $5-10 no-limit, $5-10 PLO). Also played with him a few times at home games. One of the home games I played at regularly happened to get hit and robbed at gunpoint when he was there (thankfully on the one night the entire Summer I decided not to go, talk about running good); not saying there is necessarily a connection though. He used to beat the low stakes games in the area pretty hard 5 or 6 years ago, now he is too weak to be a profitable player. He is a shady guy, does a lot of scummy things at the poker table. I'm acquaintances with someone who baby sits his kids, they told me a while back he is a great father, so I give him the benefit of the doubt because of that. He might be a criminal, might be a angle-shooting punk at the poker table, but at least he takes care of his kids. Hope the survivors of his going to jail end up OK. *EDIT* I should say too weak to beat the $2/5 or higher cash games here, which are now abnormally hard due to the high ratio of pros to recreational players in the area. I think he is still profitable in tournaments though.

those guys all think you were involved cuz you weren't there that one time

On November 24 2015 01:42 HungarianGOD wrote: Surprised this is big enough for news in the poker world for you guys to be reporting this.

I know. Since there's so much going on in the poker world lol

On November 24 2015 13:01 ggplz wrote: Show nested quote + On November 24 2015 10:16 blackjacki2 wrote:   On November 23 2015 22:08 Defrag wrote: . In one case a person with debt was threatened to undergo a dialysis. what? the reclamation of excess waste to settle a debt

common scare tactic from banks as well. If you don't pay your account, they'll come to your house, hook you up to a dialysis machine, and filter your blood for waste. Then they leave your house, laughing all the way to the garbage can

On November 24 2015 01:42 HungarianGOD wrote: Surprised this is big enough for news in the poker world for you guys to be reporting this. I have played with him a lot ($2/5 no-limit, $5-10 no-limit, $5-10 PLO). Also played with him a few times at home games. One of the home games I played at regularly happened to get hit and robbed at gunpoint when he was there (thankfully on the one night the entire Summer I decided not to go, talk about running good); not saying there is necessarily a connection though. He used to beat the low stakes games in the area pretty hard 5 or 6 years ago, now he is too weak to be a profitable player. He is a shady guy, does a lot of scummy things at the poker table. I'm acquaintances with someone who baby sits his kids, they told me a while back he is a great father, so I give him the benefit of the doubt because of that. He might be a criminal, might be a angle-shooting punk at the poker table, but at least he takes care of his kids. Hope the survivors of his going to jail end up OK. *EDIT* I should say too weak to beat the $2/5 or higher cash games here, which are now abnormally hard due to the high ratio of pros to recreational players in the area. I think he is still profitable in tournaments though.

Is here new york? Because 2/5 is still stupid easy in cali.

Although he seems kind of retarded. This is just a stupid scam.

On November 24 2015 01:42 HungarianGOD wrote: Surprised this is big enough for news in the poker world for you guys to be reporting this. I have played with him a lot ($2/5 no-limit, $5-10 no-limit, $5-10 PLO). Also played with him a few times at home games. One of the home games I played at regularly happened to get hit and robbed at gunpoint when he was there (thankfully on the one night the entire Summer I decided not to go, talk about running good); not saying there is necessarily a connection though. He used to beat the low stakes games in the area pretty hard 5 or 6 years ago, now he is too weak to be a profitable player. He is a shady guy, does a lot of scummy things at the poker table. I'm acquaintances with someone who baby sits his kids, they told me a while back he is a great father, so I give him the benefit of the doubt because of that. He might be a criminal, might be a angle-shooting punk at the poker table, but at least he takes care of his kids. Hope the survivors of his going to jail end up OK. *EDIT* I should say too weak to beat the $2/5 or higher cash games here, which are now abnormally hard due to the high ratio of pros to recreational players in the area. I think he is still profitable in tournaments though.

where is here?

Here is in Buffalo NY area. Not a ton of money in the area at the moment...


You have a good point Drone, although my reputation is so strong as an oblivious kind naive kid it would never cross anyone's mind. I often do homework at the tables simultaneously while I play and shit, have never even been caught lying about a hand, etc. Most who played regularly came to the conclusion that I was crushing the game the most. Also, racial connection; I am white, and this homegame has more African American's and is run by one, and the robbers were both Black. It was a night that had an abnormal concentration of higher stakes players, as many who were invited often play the $5/10 PLO at the casino (myself included) and would carry a few thousand dollars on them.

There are probably a hundred small things I could write about that add up over time, but essentially everyone would see it as an impossibility that I was involved. Although I haven't been to a homegame since

On November 25 2015 08:05 HungarianGOD wrote: Here is in Buffalo NY area. Not a ton of money in the area at the moment... You have a good point Drone, although my reputation is so strong as an oblivious kind naive kid it would never cross anyone's mind. I often do homework at the tables simultaneously while I play and shit, have never even been caught lying about a hand, etc. Most who played regularly came to the conclusion that I was crushing the game the most. Also, racial connection; I am white, and this homegame has more African American's and is run by one, and the robbers were both Black. It was a night that had an abnormal concentration of higher stakes players, as many who were invited often play the $5/10 PLO at the casino (myself included) and would carry a few thousand dollars on them. There are probably a hundred small things I could write about that add up over time, but essentially everyone would see it as an impossibility that I was involved. Although I haven't been to a homegame since

it happens...

Before I started playing a lot of private games around where I currently live, a game was robbed and someone was actually shot. Lots of rumors usually fly around about maybe a select few people who would be around the game being involved but it usually just comes and passes - nothing is ever done.

When I did start playing we had a guy who was a cheat. Would basically do a little sly deck trick to where he would deal himself good hands pre. He was caught and basically blackballed from all the games in the area.

Ahhh live poker <3