Christian Lusardi (seen in undated mugshot) was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday
A man who was caught with counterfeit poker chips at a tournament in an Atlantic City casino after flushing $2.7million worth of them down a toilet was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday.
The chips were discovered on January 16, 2014, two days after the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, began hosting its ‘Winter Poker Open’ in which Christian Lusardi, 43, was competing.
Prosecutors said Lusardi, fearing he might be caught, flushed more than 500 fake poker chips down the toilet in his room at Harrah’s Casino Hotel, clogging a pipe and causing a leak in the sewer line.
Lusardi was sentenced by New Jersey Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury after he pleaded guilty to second-degree trademark counterfeiting and third-degree criminal mischief on August 13.
State gaming authorities canceled the tournament on January 18, 2014, when 22 other fake chips worth $5,000 were found in a clogged toilet in a Borgata men’s room.
A total of $3.6million worth of tournament chips were recovered, though they had no actual cash value.
Lusardi was competing in the ‘Winter Poker Open’ at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 2014
Lusardi flushed more than 500 fake poker chips down the toilet in his room at Harrah’s Casino Hotel (above)
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The tournament was supposed to run for three weeks but was terminated after three days when the counterfeit poker chips were found.
Investigators determined $800,000 in fake chips had been put into play during the first two days of the tournament.
Lusardi, 43, flushed more than 500 fake poker chips down the toilet in his room at Harrah’s Casino
There were 27 people remaining in the No Limit Hold ‘Em event when play was suspended.
The $1.5million in remaining prize money was put on hold before the state Division of Gaming Enforcement ordered the money be distributed and entry fees refunded.
Lusardi had won $6,814 in the tournament.
Investigators said he purchased the chips online from a Chinese manufacturer and then put a counterfeit Borgata logo on them.
In response to the scam, the Borgata began using more intricate chips with more colors and an authentication element that can be checked under ultraviolet light.
‘While Lusardi’s bungled attempt to dispose of his phony chips was suitable for a Hollywood comedy, the truth is he committed very serious crimes in carrying out his high-stakes counterfeiting scheme,’ New Jersey Acting Attorney General John Hoffman said in a statement.
Lusardi of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was previously ordered to pay the Borgata $463,540 for lost tournament revenue and Harrah’s $9,455 for plumbing and sewer solutions – www.directory.best’s website – damage.
He was also sentenced in March to five years in prison in a separate case involving DVD bootlegging.
