Judge orders man to play poker for 6 months
Fraudster told to pay back money he owes...by taking to the tables across America
| by German Virgin |  August, 12th 2010 |
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Above: The fraudster must play poker. Inset: Judge Ross Sanchez
A judge in America has ordered a fraudster to play poker for a living - so he can pay back his victims.
Samuel McMaster Jr, a former insurance worker, stole more than £300,000 from elderly clients in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after convincing them to give him money for investments.
The 59-year-old has pleaded guilty to 26 different charges, including securities fraud, and was facing 84 years in prison.
But his lawyer convinced Judge Ross Sanchez that he should instead remain free to play in poker tournaments across America so he can pay $7,500-a-month back to those he defrauded. He will initially be given six months to see if he can make enough money. If he falls behind by two payments he will immediately be sentenced to 12 years in jail.
Prosecution lawyer Phyllis Bowman accepted McMaster had used the money he stole for his own interests, including playing poker.
She said: "We do have the unusual case here where we are agreeing to delay sentencing for a period of time.
"This will allow Mr McMaster to set a track record as to whether or not he can pay back $400,000 in restitution.
"There's nothing to indicate he is a violent threat to society."
A spokeswoman from the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department - which brought the case against McMaster - said poker was recognised as a profession by the Internal Revenue Service. Therefore it was accepted by the judge as a legitimate way for McMaster to repay the money he stole.
She added: "We're not talking about a get-out-jail-free card."
