New York Daily News – It was only a pipe dream. Workers cleaning a clogged sewer pipe at an Atlantic City casino may have thought they landed a $2.7 million windfall when they found more than 500 poker tournament chips. But the chips were counterfeit. The Harrah’s Resort and Casino employees unearthed the chips in the room of poker competitor Christian Lusardi, 42, of North Carolina, according to The Press of Atlantic City.
Lusardi was taken into custody Friday at an Atlantic City motel, investigators said, accused of stuffing the chips into the pipe. The bad act spurred the cancellation of the Borgata Winter Open, which had a guaranteed $2 million prize pool. Investigators said the dirty wheeler and dealer put the fake chips into play several times during the tournament, pulling in nearly $7,000.
Lusardi is charged with attempting to rig a publicly exhibited contest and theft by deception. He was thrown into the Atlantic County Jail in lieu of $300,000 bail.
