China Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Man playing poker to avoid prison ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (WABC) -- An Albuquerque stockbroker who confessed to stealing from clients to support a gambling habit is being dealt an unusual hand. Prosecutors are letting him play poker for his freedom. In exchange for the plea, authorities are letting Samuel McMaster, Jr. stay out of prison if he can earn enough money playing in poker tournaments to repay his victims. He allegedly owes more than $400,000. Prosecutors say the deal is not a get out of jail free card. McMaster's sentencing will be delayed for six months while he participates in tournaments. He must make payments of $7,500 a month. If he misses two payments he will face immediate sentencing of up to 12 years in prison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
December90 Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Man playing poker to avoid prisonALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (WABC) -- An Albuquerque stockbroker who confessed to stealing from clients to support a gambling habit is being dealt an unusual hand. Prosecutors are letting him play poker for his freedom. In exchange for the plea, authorities are letting Samuel McMaster, Jr. stay out of prison if he can earn enough money playing in poker tournaments to repay his victims. He allegedly owes more than $400,000. Prosecutors say the deal is not a get out of jail free card. McMaster's sentencing will be delayed for six months while he participates in tournaments. He must make payments of $7,500 a month. If he misses two payments he will face immediate sentencing of up to 12 years in prison. Brings new meaning to "All - in":) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixcuincle Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Yeah I saw on the news the other day they would talk about it more on GMA Something about playing High Stakes Poker for freedom Was not intrigued enough to watch GMA that day and see the story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DButz65 Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Damn, talk about added pressure....miss 2 payments and goto jail , glad credit card companies arent like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 Seems a bit odd to me. He's got a gambling problem so they sentence him to gamble to repay his debts?! Isn't that a bit like sentencing a drug addict who stole things from people to feed his drug habit, to deal drugs to repay the people he stole from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HailYeah Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Seems a bit odd to me. He's got a gambling problem so they sentence him to gamble to repay his debts?! Isn't that a bit like sentencing a drug addict who stole things from people to feed his drug habit, to deal drugs to repay the people he stole from? Yeah, I dont get it. What if he goes even more in debt? If I'm someone he stole from, I'm furious. How exactly is this making him a productive member of society? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beans Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 What?!?! Did I read that right? Crazy times I tells ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beans Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 This has reality television written all over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 This has reality television written all over it. This would not surprise me in the slightest, unfortunately. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USS Redskins Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 It's the only addiction where you can win a $*** load of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sideshow24 Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Seems a bit odd to me. He's got a gambling problem so they sentence him to gamble to repay his debts?! Isn't that a bit like sentencing a drug addict who stole things from people to feed his drug habit, to deal drugs to repay the people he stole from? Drug dealing and doing drugs are illegal. The gambling was not illegal, it was the theft that he was in trouble for. Though it is a bit strange, at least the victims might recover some money they wouldn't otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaceman Spiff Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Did the victims who he stole from have to agree to this to allow this guy to try to win back his money? And if so, why on earth would they? Also what happens if he misses two payments and he goes to jail? I'm assuming those people aren't going to see any of their money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMK9973 Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Its only seems odd because Poker is his only income at this point. I doubt the court says he HAS to play poker. Basicly they said you ahve 6 months to pay back your victims. I doubt they care what legal way he raises the money. He just so happens to be doing poker tournements. Sounds like hes going to jail btw - 6 months at $7500 is only 45k. he owes 400k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjah Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Its only seems odd because Poker is his only income at this point. I doubt the court says he HAS to play poker.Basicly they said you ahve 6 months to pay back your victims. I doubt they care what legal way he raises the money. He just so happens to be doing poker tournements. Yes, thank you. I was hoping to read this POV before contributing something similar myself. Almost didn't make it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techboy Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 If he had to steal that much to cover his debts, he's not very good at it. Might as well put him in jail now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 Did the victims who he stole from have to agree to this to allow this guy to try to win back his money? And if so, why on earth would they?Also what happens if he misses two payments and he goes to jail? I'm assuming those people aren't going to see any of their money? If I'd been gypped out of a bunch of money, I'd rather get it back than have the guy rot in prison. I mean, punishment is good, money is better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rincewind Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 It's the only addiction where you can win a $*** load of money. "Alcoholism is a disease. But, it's the only disease you can get yelled at for having. 'Dammit Otto, you're an alcoholic.' 'Dammit Otto, you have lopus.' One of these does not sound right." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighOnHendrix Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 "Alcoholism is a disease. But, it's the only disease you can get yelled at for having. 'Dammit Otto, you're an alcoholic.' 'Dammit Otto, you have lopus.' One of these does not sound right." Maybe that's because one is your own damn fault and the other is not? I'm just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rincewind Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 Maybe that's because one is your own damn fault and the other is not? I'm just saying. That's cool. You just go ahead and ignore the quotations, too. ... Mitch Hedberg did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Update: Man fails to win restitution by poker, gets prison ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - An Albuquerque man was sentenced to prison Wednesday after he asked to repay his investment scam victims through poker tournament winnings, but failed to find luck at the card table. "This was long overdue," said J. Dee Dennis Jr., the superintendent of the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department. "This individual wanted to con us into believing that keeping him out of prison would help his victims get their money back. ... We're calling his bluff. It's about time we sent him to prison." Samuel McMaster Jr. stayed out of prison after prosecutors agreed to a request from his attorney to delay sentencing so that he could earn money to repay his victims. The former insurance agent was accused of stealing nearly $450,000 from 23 investors over several years. The way he chose to attempt earning money for restitution was through gambling, said Phyllis H. Bowman, lead prosecutor with the state Securities Division. Bowman said she was not aware of other attempts to make restitution by gambling, although she noted that others have tried to earn money through real estate speculating. As a result of McMaster's lack of luck at the poker table, Bowman said "the means by which somebody obtains restitution, even if it's legal and legitimate, will probably be questioned a little more closely." After he failed to pay, McMaster was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in prison, five years of supervised probation after his release and ordered to make full restitution to his victims. Click on the link for the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconTheVillain Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Went on life tilt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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