Poker Player Says NFL Star Was Used as Decoy After $1 Million Loss
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A high-stakes poker participant who lost $1 million in a single night says the gamblers running the underground game used a National Football League player—not a rumored National Basketball Association figure—to lure wealthy opponents, according to law-enforcement sources familiar with his complaint.
The unidentified bettor told investigators the NFL star’s name and presence were leveraged as a marketing hook for the private Manhattan event. Once seated, he claims, players were pressured into repeatedly increasing their buy-ins until his own losses hit seven figures before dawn.
He alleges those behind the game were tied to organized crime and positioned the football player as a harmless front man to give the gathering an air of legitimacy. The victim insists early reports pointing to an NBA connection were inaccurate and says only an NFL personality was involved in the ruse.
No charges have been filed, and authorities have not publicly identified the athlete. The probe into the high-stakes scheme remains open.
Source: New York Post
