Vegas Ketamine-Spiking Case Still Expected to Go to Trial After No Settlement Reached Last Week

Submitted by Nagesh Rath on

Written by :

Nagesh Rath

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Spiked drink
  • Both parties had a settlement conference this past week but no settlement arrived at, Gambling911.com can now confirm

  • A former sports agent Dwight Manley claims he was drugged with ketamine while gambling at the MGM Grand in Vegas in 2021

  • He ended up gambling away $2 million that night and even sustained an injury


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Dwight Manley, 60, was once former NBA player Dennis Rodman's agent, claims to have been involuntarily drugged with ketamine while playing blackjack in the high-limit area of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in December 2021.

News reports surfaced last week that a settlement agreement had been reached.  Gambling911.com has since been informed by those representing Mr. Manley that, in fact, no settlement has been agreed to.

"It was a settlement conference," we were advised. 

And now comes word that this one is still on track to go to trial. 

Manley presented medical experts that included Dr. Michael Sucher, a veteran physician and expert witness who performed the hair test on the plaintiff that “concluded to a reasonable degree of medical probability that Dwight Manley was poisoned with ketamine in the early afternoon of December 10, 2021, at the MGM Grand Mansion.”

(pictured left to right Dennis Rodman with Dwight Manley)

MGM had its own experts.  Attorneys Lawrence Semenza III and Katie Cannata have brought forth Dr. Daniel Overbeek.  His rebuttal: “Based on the information provided in these reports, my professional opinion remains that there is nothing to indicate that Mr. Manley experienced ketamine intoxication on December 10, 2021. None of the effects witnessed in the videos and described in the reports are specific to ketamine, and there is no evidence based on the behaviors in the video that indicate anything other than alcohol consumption. The hair drug testing does not localize the date of potential exposure and was also positive for ketamine and norketamine in the baseline sample, which also adds additional certainty.”

The suit also described that Manley sustained injuries as his credit line was increased by millions of dollars while under the influence. (United States District Court, District of Nevada, Case No. 2:22-cv-01906-MMD-DJA. Third Amended Complaint.)  Manley was even injured after cutting his hand but was allowed to continue playing.

We will continue to monitor this matter closely. 

  • Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com

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