Attempted Robbery at Michael Gracz Poker Game
Poker Pro and World Series of Poker bracelet winner Michael Gracz was reportedly playing in a home poker game in his hometown in North Carolina last week when armed gunmen broke in and attempted to rob the players taking part in the games. Reportedly, Gracz was outside the home making a personal call from his cellphone when he was approached by two men wearing police hats, badges and handcuffs. After being held at gunpoint momentarily, the two men burst into the house with the intention of robbing the other players.
Little did they know that there were surveillance cameras set up in front of the house and those inside were waiting for them. One of the alleged robbers kicked in the door as Gracz stood with his hands above his head and the men apparently gave up the police ruse when they shouted, "This is a robbery." Little did they know, they would be met with resistance as a patron in the house said, "No, it's not", before opening fire on the robbers. The robbers quickly ran out of the house and into the street while they were pursued by another man who did not appear to be armed.
The man was somehow cornered in a nearby parking lot where he was shot in the buttocks and robbed of $2,000 in cash. The online forum twoplustwo.com has had a post running discussing the occurrence and several feel this event, such as several other publicized poker room-related robberies was some kind of inside job. The surmised this after reading police reports in which authorities stated they were unsure how the robbers would even know there was a game taking place inside the home that was in a fairly secluded community called Pilot.
With the investigation ongoing, Gracz, though caught on the surveillance tape, has not confirmed that the man on the tape is him, though most agree it was him. Apparently, this was not the first time a game he was playing in was the subject of media scrutiny as 2 years ago, a home game he was participating in was raided by police.
Source: www.aintluck.com
