Caesars And The FBI Allegedly Collude To Bust Up Phua’s World Cup Betting Ring

Sting operation turns the FBI into The Cable Guy.

Caesars And The FBI Allegedly Collude To Bust Up Phua's World Cup Betting Ring
Neil Stoddart - PokerStars, All Rights Reserved

This past summer you may recall our big brother pokerfuse reported on the arrest and bail procedures of Wei Seng “Paul” Phua, a former One Drop participant and alleged high ranking member of the notorious 14K Triad for his part in an illegal World Cup sports betting ring.

According to arstechnica (and recently produced court documents), Phua’s defense alleges that Phua’s 4th Amendment rights were violated in his arrest. The defense claims that Caesars and the FBI worked together in an unlawful “scheme” to help bring about the scenario where their client could be caught.

Update – See Also: New Video Shows FBI Posing As Cable Guys In Phua Sting Operation

It would seem that in order to help the FBI gain entrance into Phua’s villa, Caesars was asked to intentionally cut off Phua’s internet access, allowing the FBI to play dress up as cable guy technicians and gain entry to fix it. Once inside they collected the evidence needed to obtain a warrant, received that warrant and eventually that led to arrest the part-time poker player.

So far neither Caesar’s nor the Feds are commenting on whether they teamed up in the ops, but Phua’s attorney says that’s because it’s part of a cover-up.

“If this Court authorizes this duplicity, the government will be free to employ similar schemes in virtually every context to enter the homes of perfectly innocent people. Agents will frequently have no incentive to follow the warrant procedure required by the Constitution,” defense lawyers wrote the Las Vegas federal magistrate presiding over the prosecution.

The defense goes on to contend that without the “warrantless searches”, a judge would never have issued the actual warrant needed to gather the evidence used to charge their client.

Phua is currently released on $2M bail, $1,000,000 of which is reported to have been posted by none other than Phil Ivey.

Wanna see the legal eagle stuff for yourself?

Check out the 'Motion to Suppress’ and Exhibit A which appears to be the government case to obtain the warrant.

(It includes the interesting tidbit that Philip Gruissem and Igor Kuanov both had their $1,000,000 buy-in to the One Drop paid for by Wai Kin Yong)

For the record Phua has denied being involved in organized crime.

Read more: FBI cut hotel Internet access, sent agents to “fix” it without warrants

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling (VACPG) helpline at 1-888-532-3500
published 8 years, 4 months ago • by • permalink

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