Anthony Zinno posted on social media to deny claims that he stole $19,000 from Corel Theuma and give his side of the story. [Image: Flickr.com / World Poker Tour]
Zinno gives his side
More than a week after Anthony Zinno was accused of stealing $19,000 from another poker player’s pocket, he has broken his silence on the situation. In a short post on Thursday morning
Zinno explained that Day 1B of a $3,000 buy-in event at the WPT World Championship Festival in December was ending and he saw an unattended bag nearby as he was about to head out. He took the bag with him to return it to its rightful owner.
Zinno said he wanted to find out who the bag belonged to, contact them and meet up. When he couldn’t do that, he took the bag to the Encore Las Vegas lost property office and that was that. Zinno said he saw money in the bag but did not count it or otherwise touch it.
“I absolutely deny what is being alleged,” Zinno concluded.
A moment of forgetting leads to accusations
The theft allegations came to light in late January, were first mentioned on the poker podcast “Only Friends” and then gained traction Two plus two And Poker Scam Warning Websites. On January 29th Corel Theuma posted on X to tell his side of the story.
ran back to the poker room and discovered that the bag, which he said contained $20,000, was missing
The beginning is the same as with Zinno: Theuma accidentally left his bag at the poker table at the end of the evening. When he realized what he had done, he ran back to the poker room and discovered that the bag, which he said contained $20,000, was missing. No one he asked knew about it.
The next day, Theuma called the casino’s lost property office and was told that his bag was there, but only contained $1,000. He picked up the bag and reported it to the police. That night he received a call saying the police wanted to speak to him at the casino. When Theuma arrived, he said he saw Zinno being questioned. He claims police told him that on security footage they saw Zinno pick up the bag and take it to the restroom. Theuma also claims that security told him that Zinno had been banned from all properties in Wynn.
The police report a mixed bag
The police report confirms the core of Theuma’s story, but contains some differing details. For example, while Theuma is on Leave his bag at the poker table.
Theuma told PokerNews that he didn’t say that.
doesn’t say how much time has passed since Theuma left
The police report confirms that Zinno was identified on the security video removing the bag, but does not say how much time has passed since Theuma left. It also differs slightly from Theuma’s claim that he was told that Zinno was seen on camera entering a restroom, instead stating, “Zinno quickly walks past several security guards and left the casino in a Lyft ride.” .”
The report also states that Theuma told the officer he had “only 19,000 in tips for cocktail waitresses.” It’s unclear what this means exactly.
Anthony Zinno is one of the most successful live tournament players of the last decade, having won nearly $11.5 million. He has earned four World Series of Poker victories, three World Poker Tour titles, and the WPT Season XIII Player of the Year award in his career.
Zinno’s story largely matches what he told law enforcement in the police report. Additionally, the report confirms what Theuma admitted on social media that he was unable to prove that the bag originally contained $20,000, although he said he would do his best to prove it.
Anthony Zinno has not yet been formally charged with a crime.
