Joe Salvaggio robbed of his Main Event buy-in at the Rio Car Park
Poker pro Joe Salvaggio has had his $10k Main Event buy-in robbed from him at gunpoint in the car park of the WSOP’s host Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino – the Ohio man tweeting his terrifying ordeal…
Just got robbed at gunpoint at @wsop Pavilion parking lot of the Rio.Guy jumped out of car in camouflage, shoved a gun in my face and demanded my backpack with thousands in it and the keys to my car. scariest moment of my life #wsop2019 #wsop @CaesarsEnt retweet for awareness.
— JoeySal (@JoeSalOG) July 1, 2019
“This isn’t CSI yet”
The primarily cash game pro hit out at Vegas police after they told him they have ‘evidence via film that I was targeted and followed out of the Rio’ but claim that tracking the suspect will be near impossible as ‘this isn’t CSI’…
Bro the cop literally said “this isn’t CSI” yet They said they have evidence of a person leaving Rio and getting into the car that he got out of. The gun clip fell out when he was shoving it in my face . I can’t see any possible way on earth they can’t get him.
— JoeySal (@JoeSalOG) July 1, 2019
Salvaggio, known online as JoeySal, stated:
“This was not a random occurrence. The police told me they have evidence via film that I was targeted and followed out of the Rio. There is no possible way they cannot get facial recognition of this guy. Or at least a plate. Why even tell me I was followed if u can’t track him???”
Fellow poker players chimed in with their own Rio robbery stories, New Yorker Geoff Hunter claiming:
“I got robbed on the top floor of the parking garage at the Rio as well 2 weeks ago. Not at gunpoint, but they stole all my $. Filed a police report and they basically said they couldn’t do anything even though there’s cameras everywhere”.
More stories from poker robberies
South Carolina pro Scott Cooper added his own tale of armed robbery, tweeting:
“I’ve been robbed 3 times, 2 by gunpoint. I’ve had 5 very aggressive masked men, all armed, take 10’s of thousands from me and my friends as we are forced to sit and watch. Not once when I think about this is laughter a thought that runs through my head”.
The poker community have long been at the mercy of armed robbers, last year seeing Tom “3betpanda” Steinbach shot during an armed robbery gone wrong outside the Texas Card House.
The shooting of the popular poker player and Instagrammer, who luckily survived despite his serious injuries pictured above, prompted Bill Perkins to offer a $10,000 reward for the capture of the gunmen…
We NEED to protect our community from all threats. #Poker https://t.co/i9QhBwUtbo
— Bill Perkins (Guy) (@bp22) May 7, 2018
Two men were later arrested and charged after a multi-agency investigation, the Austin and San Antonio PD’s joined by the US Marshal’s service, the Secret Service and SWAT teams.
The shooter’s accomplice in this case turned out to be an employee of the card house. Officials stated that he passed information to the gunman, Shermaine Spirlack, that players were leaving the poker room with cash.
In the Salvaggio incident, it would appear that the robber’s magazine fell from his gun during the robbery, a fact that Joey didn’t realise until the ordeal was over…
I didn’t see or hear it fall out . But it was next to my car after he pulled away. They whole thing was over in 8 seconds. But way to be smart fucking tough guy bud.
— JoeySal (@JoeSalOG) July 1, 2019
Doyle Brunson once even faked a heart attack during a robbery
The legendary Doyle Brunson has probably survived more robberies than any other poker player alive today, at least five, and even faked a heart attack to distract armed thieves who broke into his home and handcuffed Doyle and his wife….
Earlier this year the infamous Bellagio poker room robber was gunned down outside the casino after four police spotted him trying to make his escape, the suspect dying from his gunshot wounds, one policeman luckily surviving the shootout.
Neither the WSOP, the Rio nor the LVMPD were available for comment at the time of going to press.
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