WSOP Circuit Champ Pleads Guilty in Bogus Debt Collection Scheme

The winner of two World Series of Poker circuit tournaments has plead guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy for his involvement in an elaborate $31 million bogus debt collection scheme.

Travell Thomas, 38, initially claimed that Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara was prosecuting him because he’s black. 

On Tuesday he broke down in court and admitted to wrongdoing:  “I knew what I was doing was wrong, and violating the law. I did it of my own free will."

Prosecutors claim that Thomas ran a Buffalo-based debt collection firm between the years 2010 and early 2015.  His employees were instructed to “threaten, intimidate, and lie to their victims by overstating their debts and making false claims about what would happen to if they didn’t pay up,” Bharara’s office has said.

Thomas is facing up to 40 years in prison and will be sentenced February 10.

- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com