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

But that is the just the tip regarding the iceberg in the utter weirdness division, because this latest tale has most of the makings of an excellent 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 step that is next of course, was to discover from whence came said fake chips, even though you might think the endless surveillance cameras that permeate any casino were the break in this case, the latter emerged from an even more bizarre source: clogged sewer pipes.

Turns out of the problem was discovered when some Harrah’s Resort casino workers had to learn what was causing a massive sewer clog; and what did they come upon, but $2.7 million in fake Borgata potato chips, evidently flushed down the toilet. We assume not all at once, but nevertheless, 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 dripping water into their spaces. The supply of the pipe clog was traced to professional player Christian Lusardi, 42; the Fayetteville, new york player had been staying into the originating room, according to detectives.

Caught, Arrested and Charged

Lusardi had long taken off from Harrah’s after his royal flush, but ended up being discovered and arrested by New Jersey State Police midday on Friday at a local Super 8 Motel in Atlantic City; no term on what the authorities managed to follow Lusardi’s paper or should we say, chip path to get their man. He is been charged with rigging a contest that is publicly exhibited just for beginners. It’s maybe not yet clear if Lusardi acted alone, or if other accomplices might have been involved as well. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has been part of the investigative process also, needless to say.

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

‘This may be the time that is first’ve had anything like this happen within our a decade in business, also 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 week that is last’ added Lupo. ‘Borgata will continue to do business with the DGE and the State Police until this matter is determined 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 law enforcement are complex indeed, as the fake chips obviously affected the upshot of the event up until the ultimate three tables were frozen. Authorities now state that Lusardi included counterfeit potato chips to his stacks more than once throughout the event; he ended up winning $6,814 an amount we’re pretty sure he won’t be maintaining.

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

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

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

Perhaps this whole tale can best be summed by Ryan Messick, a player who was eliminated from the Borgata event in the beginning.

‘ The proven fact that this guy flushed the chips down the toilet, that just has to end up being the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,’ noted Messick. ‘ There was no method he had beenn’t going to be found out.’

Meanwhile, the culprit will have enough time to consider clogged toilets; he was taken up to the Atlantic County Justice center as he couldn’t meet the $300,000 bail requirement.