Tobey Maguire Sued for Poker Winnings at Illegal High Stakes Game
Tobey Maguire, poker player extraordinaire, is reportedly being sued in an attempt to recover money he won during a series of "high stakes, clandestine poker games" hosted by jailed hedge fund manager and Ponzi schemer Brad Ruderman.
The games, which also reportedly involved heterosexual life partners Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, netted Maguire millions.
$311,000 of which Ruderman allegedly embezzled from his clients.
Prior to being convicted of wire fraud and investment fraud in 2010, Brad Ruderman reportedly hosted a series of illegal celebrity poker games in the posh hotels of Beverly Hills.
Brought by the court-appointed trustee overseeing the bankruptcy of Ruderman's company, the lawsuit alleges that Ruderman illegally dipped into client funds to pay his poker debts.
Tobey Maguire, along with a few other celebrities, was the alleged recipient of those funds.
Though there's no allegation that Maguire knew that he was being paid with fraudulent funds, the law still allows him to be stripped of that money.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Code allows trustees to recover illegally transferred funds without any showing of third party complicity.
Additionally, because (gasp) the celebrities were involved in illegal poker games, the transfer of any winnings and losses are technically voidable under California law.
What does this all mean for Tobey Maguire, poker in general, and his vast winnings?
For one, he could face an investigation by the state of California for engaging in illegal gambling. And for two, he'll probably be forced to, at the very least, give up the $311,000 (plus interest).
So be sad for Tobey Maguire. Poker (of the clandestine and high takes variety) may no longer be in his future.
Related Resources:
- 'Spider-Man' star Tobey Maguire sued over illegal poker winnings (New York Post)
- Will Online Poker Players Lose their Money? (FindLaw's Law & Daily Life)
- Mets Madoff Lawsuit: Owners Ignored Warnings on Madoff (FindLaw's Tarnished Twenty)
