A cheating scandal at Hustler Casino Live continues to unfold with more information making it weirder. It started with Garrett Adelstein accusing a novice player, Robbi Jade Lew, of cheating on September 29 during an event streamed at Hustler Casino Live in Gardena, California.
Interestingly, Robbi was robbed of $15,000 in chips soon after the game. Yet, she does not seem to care.
Through a tweet, Hustler Casino Live implicated a member of its production company. The tweet noted that Bryan Sagbigsal was fired after admitting to stealing three $5,000 chips from Robbi's stack after the game on September 29.
The surprising part is that Lew refused to press charges. This means that the Gardena Police Department cannot pursue Bryan's case without a victim pressing charges.
Lew defended herself by explaining the reason she could not press charges. She says that she learned that the accused was young, with little funds, and no history of prior offenses. Lew decided not to press charges as it would damage the accused life, especially after losing his job at the casino.
However, another news report revealed that Bryan was involved in a robbery and prison escape in 2017. The 24-year-old man also had a battery charge in 2018 and was imprisoned at the California Department of Corrections in Sacramento.
Things Get Weirder
As a newbie, Lew made the wildest bets on the poker felt during the September 29 match. She made an illogical call to Adelsteins's semi-bluff by making an all-in bet that grew the pot to $269,000. This made the commentator wonder whether the card graphics had misread her hand.
Lew had nothing in hand to indicate she would win. According to DraftKings` calculation, Lew had at least 150 ways to lose the hand and six ways to win. Yet, she won the hand.
Adelstein accused her of cheating. The weird part is that she gave her winnings from the controversial hand back to Adelstein. This has left the poker family with many unanswered questions, giving over $135,000 back.
Many have cast suspicion on her, wondering whether she actually cheated in the game. Another player in the tournament, Eric Persson, even said that Lew should never have given back the money.
I Was Threatened
Lew said through Twitter that she gave the money back following a threat. She said that Adelstein cornered her in a dark hallway away from cameras, and she had no option but to return the chips.
Adelstein replied by saying that he was clearly cheated. He speculates that Lew had a card reader or was wearing a device to signal her. Yet, he could not provide evidence.
Meanwhile, Hustler Casino Live has hired a law firm to investigate the issue. The hired team will review records, interview players and staff, and conduct a polygraph test. For now, Adelstein and Lew are not allowed to appear on Hustler Casino Live.
While some see the issue as a cheating scandal, some see it as sexism. Some suggest that Adelstein cannot accept that a woman beat his hand.
It's true Robbi made an unconventional foolish move that paid off.
However, that does not mean she cheated, and Adelstein cannot accept it. For now, we are waiting for the investigations to conclude.
