Filipp Khavin was shot in the stomach in the car park of a Florida poker room is suing the owners for negligence. Filipp Khavin is seeking $30,000 in damages, with his wife Charis claiming the same amount.
Filipp Khavin is suing Derby Lane Poker Room for negligence
The incident occurred on November 20th, 2019, when Filipp Khavin, a well-known 30-year-old poker player with more than $1million in tournament earnings, was shot during an attempted robbery outside the Derby Lane Poker Room in St. Petersburg.
Khavin, who lives in Treasure Island, Florida, was leaving a high-stakes cash game known as “Chad’s Game” along with the eponymous organiser, Chad Pease, when the armed robber struck.
The lawsuit reveals that “Mr. Khavin was shot twice in the lower abdomen, and he suffered enduring intense pain, and he continues to experience mental anguish.”
Mr. Pease was “shot in the hand, but was able to use his remote car starter, enter his car and drive, and the assailant fled.”
Neither man was seriously injured, and it is not known how much if anything the armed assailant escaped with.
Khavin claims in his lawsuit that owners St Petersburg Kennel Club, doing business as Derby Lane, was “well aware of the security risks and potential predatory criminal activity that is attached to and generated by gambling activities.”
The long and detailed allegations of negligence include that “Derby Lane Management was aware of the long history of crime on Derby Lane’s premises.”
Specifically, they state: “Derby Lane Management was aware of the long history of crime in the parking lot including the valet parking lot at Derby Lane.”
With cash game pots exceeding $200,000 and regular $50k prizepools for tournaments, the lawsuit claims also states the owners “permitted high stakes poker games to be played in areas in the Derby Lane Poker Room where non-players could see the enormous amount of money that the players possessed on their person.”
In addition, they claim that Derby Lane “did not take proper precautions to provide high stakes poker games the privacy that are typically granted in gambling institutions.”
The plaintiffs allege that Derby Lane were “repeatedly informed” about the safety concerns by patrons but they “refused to provide increased and better security.”
The parking lot valet service ended at midnight, after which patrons still playing poker were handed back their car keys and left to fend for themselves while leaving the venue.
Khavin is seeking $30,000 damages and a jury trial, with his wife seeking a similar sum for “loss of consortium”, which is basically the loss of spousal relationships due to an accident caused by negligence.
It’s not the first time this has happened
Khavin is far from the first poker player to be targeted in the parking lot of a card room, with two high-profile cases in recent years hitting the headlines.
In April 2018, the popular poker player and Instagrammer Tom “3BetPanda” Steinbach was shot in the back during an attempted robbery outside the Texas Card House.
Steinbach survived his horrific, life-threatening injuries and two men were later arrested and charged, one the “inside man” who targeted Steinbach and his companion, the other the armed gunman waiting outside.
One year later, at the WSOP in Las Vegas, poker pro Joe “JoeySal” Salvaggio was robbed of his main Event buy-in in the car park of the Rio Hotel and Casino.
Was playing uncapped 2/5 last night in the Rio poker room. Had 4k in big chips , and grabbed 500 in cash for remainder of my stack after coloring up. I tossed the chips into my chip container inside my bookbag and walked out. My car was parked down at wsop
— JoeySal (@JoeSalOG) July 2, 2019
With poker players and casinos often being seen as a lucrative target for thieves and robbers, VIP Grinders urge players to take extra precautions as live poker returns to the tables.
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