Poker Pro Wants Gambling Ban Lifted

Poker player Caesars Andrew Nguyen has been banned from gambling over his entanglement in an illegal gambling scheme in Chicago, Illinois, and is now hoping to reverse the ban that effectively prohibits him from entering any gambling contests – lawful or otherwise.

Defense Wants Their Client to Be Allowed to Pursue His Lawful Career

This is a serious setback for the young man, who is a professional poker player, and his legal team is now trying to address this by filing with the US District Court in Hammond, Indiana, last Thursday.

In an official complaint, the player’s attorney argues that the illegal gambling case that Nguyen’s name is associated with should not stop him from playing legally as a poker player, which is his livelihood. 

In fact, Nguyen was never associated with the alleged operation in any capacity other than a player. His team points out that he was not an enforcer or a bookmaker, but rather one of the victims. For Nguyen’s part, the man just wanted to return to legally playing cards and competing. 

Nguyen was arrested as part of a police operation that saw a total of 22 people apprehended and tied to the Gerodemos Gambling Organization, which operated out of restaurants in both Northwest Indiana and suburban Chicago. The operation itself was attributed to one “Jimmy the Greek,” or James Gordemos, who ran the network with another person, Dean Gailamas, or “Dean Gem.” 

Nguyen specifically faces charges of operating an illegal gambling business as well as aiding and abetting the transmission of wagering information, i.e., the opposite of what his legal team claims. 

Vicitm of Circumstance, Not a Criminal Mastermind

This is where the attorneys for Nguyen’s side get very specific and point out that their client would only connect gamblers to the group but himself not play any consecutive role, whether as an operator, manager, bookmaker, or an owner of an establishment used to conduct games. 

If anything, Nguyen was himself a victim of the nefarious operation and was even identified in court documents as “Victim 3.” Nguyen was threatened by the outfit over a $7,500 sports bet that he failed to pay on time. 

He received cryptic but unmistakable threatening messages over the unpaid money, with Gerodemos promising to get the money, one way or another. 

His legal team further insisted that whatever connection there may have been with the Gerdoemos, it did not occur at any official gambling location, it did not involve his skills or relationships as a poker player,, and therefore, Nguyen should be allowed to continue pursuing his career as a poker player. 

Nguyen’s defense called the prohibition to even play at offshore gambling websites, or visit any licensed poker card room in the United States, an overcorrection, and that the court should allow him to continue enjoying his lawful career as a poker player.