6-time WSOP bracelet winner faces judge in bad check case
A Las Vegas gambler with six World Series of Poker bracelets appeared in court Thursday to face theft and bad check charges.
Ted Forrest, 51, has more than $6.3 million in poker tournament earnings. He was charged with two felonies: theft and drawing and passing a check without sufficient funds with the intent to defraud, according to a criminal complaint filed last week.
Forrest was booked into the Clark County Detention Center briefly Thursday morning after he appeared before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Ann Zimmerman, who allowed Forrest to be released on his own recognizance.
His lawyer, Chris Rasmussen, has said Forrest does not owe the casino money.
The criminal complaint claimed Forrest had insufficient funds when he tried to pass two checks totaling $215,000 between Oct. 28, 2012, and May 17, 2013, at Wynn Las Vegas.
Forrest was extended a line of credit to play on a casino marker, according to his lawyer.
Rasmussen said Wynn employees asked Forrest to open a bank account and deposit $100 in order to create a marker with the account number.
“They knew full well there was no money in this account, and now they’re trying to use the district attorney’s office to force him to pay a marker that was improperly issued,” Rasmussen said.
The lawyer called the arrangement a “credit agreement” and a “civil dispute.”
According to Clark County District Court papers, Forrest signed a confession of judgment in 2013 that stated he owed Wynn $270,000. He had agreed to make 10 monthly payments of $10,000 and one payment of $170,000.
Court records indicate he had not complied with the agreement as of July 2015, but the case was ultimately closed.
In September 2015, The Mirage filed a lawsuit claiming Forrest still owed $40,500 from a 2013 loan of $100,000. A judge ruled in the casino’s favor, but it is unclear whether Forrest paid the debt.
Forrest finished fourth in a seven-card stud event in June at the World Series of Poker, collecting $72,971, according to tournament poker tracking site thehendonmob.com.
His large tournament winnings date to 1993, when he won three bracelets. Forrest ranks 63rd on the all-time money list in the United States, according to the site.
Forrest is due back in court next month for a preliminary hearing.
Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.