ShareAn arrest warrant has been issued for Bryan Sagbigsal, the former Hustler Casino Live employee charged this week with two counts of grand theft relating to the $15k in chips he allegedly stole during the infamous Adelstein/Lew “cheating” game
It was an investigation into Garrett Adelstein’s accusations of cheating against Robbi Jade Lew that led to the discovery of Sagbigsal being caught on camera lifting three $5k chips from Lew’s stack after the livestream cash game had finished.
Sagbigsal, a staffer for High Stakes Poker Productions, the HCL-owned company that produces the popular poker shows, initially made numerous public statements following the theft.
In those, he denied any involvement in a potential cheating ring revolving around Lew and others, posting on 2plus2: “Garrett Adelstein is WRONG about THE POKER CHEATING SCANDAL...I LOVED Hustler Casino Live, I DID NOT COLLUDE WHATSOEVER WITH Robbi Jade Lew, Rip, or Beanz to cheat you Garrett.”
Meanwhile, LA Times reporter Amanda Chang was tracking Sagbigsal down to the home of his girlfriend’s parents, but the 24-year-old wasn’t willing to talk about his role in any HCL scandal.
Chang also tweeted what she perceived to be threats from Sagbigsal “As I left, Sagbigsal got out and stood in the street taking photos of my car and of me. When I rolled down my window to ask why, and if he knew Robbi, he said: “We’re gonna be following you if you don’t leave now. So you better leave before I follow you wherever you’re going.”
Two weeks’ later and Sagbigsal had apparently been turfed out by his girlfriend’s parents, reporter Chang revealing that police “were unable to locate him after an all-day search”
According to lead detective, Hugo Gualotuna, police were searching for Sagbigsal on “suspicion of grand theft,” but an early-morning search of his last known address in Long Beach proved fruitless.
Sagbigsal had apparently been kicked out two weeks’ previously, wasn’t answering his phone, and had left no forwarding address.
News that Sagbigsal has actually been charged with a crime may spark renewed interest in the poker scandal of the year - one that split the poker community in two, with those that supported Adelstein and those on Lew’s side.
Lew’s initial reluctance to press charges against Sagbigsal had been seen by many as an indication that the two were somehow involved in an attempt to cheat, with Sagbigsal having back-room access.
However, nothing has subsequently come to light to implicate Lew in any cheating, although her rather bizarre actions, explanations and disingenuous claims throughout the case haven’t helped her cause.
We will continue to update this story as and when information becomes available.
