Judge orders Las Vegas sports betting influencer ‘Vegas Dave’ to pay over $30M

A Las Vegas influencer has been ordered to pay $30.2 million to an upscale vacation rental agency in Mexico, court records show.

The judgment was ordered in July by District Judge Timothy Williams against David Oancea, a sports betting influencer with 9.3 million Instagram followers who is known as “Vegas Dave” and was featured in the Showtime docuseries “Action” about the sports gambling world.

An attorney for Oancea filed a notice in August that he would be appealing the judgment.

Months later, the dispute between Oancea and Cabo Platinum, the rental company, remains ongoing.

In a Wednesday hearing, attorneys for the two sides argued over subpoenas and garnishment.

The case started with a contract dispute between Oancea and Cabo Platinum, according to the judgment submitted by attorneys for Cabo Platinum and signed by Williams.

Oancea could not be reached for comment.

Cabo Platinum brokered rentals at Oancea’s properties in Mexico, but Oancea fired the company in April 2024, court records said.

The rental company paid Oancea in full for some rentals and 50 percent deposits for all of them, according to court records.

Oancea started preventing people from accessing his properties, the judgment said, “forcing Cabo Platinum to make last-minute arrangements for international guests.”

That was disruptive, said Mishan Andre, managing partner at Cabo Platinum, which bases its rental company in Las Vegas.

”Nobody wants to have to deal with one guest who has been planning their vacation and sending the link of your website around to all their friends saying, ‘This is where we’re staying. We’re so excited, we can’t wait.’ And then at the last minute, you have to tell guests that you have to put them in another villa,” Andre said in a video interview.

It meant a financial hit: Cabo Platinum had to pay for alternative accommodations and refund guests because Oancea did not turn over money he had received for those reservations, according to court records.

Oancea also began using Cabo Platinum’s homeowners list to send “a series of highly disparaging emails accusing Cabo Platinum and its principals Mishan Andre and Danette Reid of fraud, embezzlement, failure to maintain proper financial records and accounting, theft, and a host of other serious and damaging accusations,” the judgment stated.

Andre said there was no truth to claims of misconduct. “We operate ethically,” he said.

Oancea has a criminal record. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to causing a violation of record keeping and procedures after authorities accused him of using other people’s Social Security numbers to open casino player accounts.

He was sentenced to probation and ordered to stay out of Las Vegas sportsbooks for three years.

The judgment suggested a financial motive in the rental dispute.

“Cabo Platinum also provided evidence that Oancea contacted guests directly and told them to cancel their reservations with Cabo Platinum, demand a refund, and rent his properties directly from him,” the court document said.

Cabo Platinum and Oancea both filed lawsuits against each other in Clark County District Court in May 2024.

Oancea alleged breach of contract, fraud and unjust enrichment, among other claims. The suit said he had not received a wire transfer of profits from his properties since 2021 and complained about construction issues.

District Judge Maria Gall dismissed Oancea’s claims.

Andre said in the interview that Oancea would direct that his money be routed to expenses like his mortgage and builder. Andre also said his company did not cause construction problems for Oancea.

In the case filed by Cabo Platinum, Williams granted a preliminary injunction, ordering Oancea not to block access to properties or interfere with “already agreed-upon rentals.”

Oancea did not comply, according to the judgment.

Williams also granted Cabo Platinum sanctions, a minute order shows.

Cabo Platinum pushed for punitive damages, which Williams ordered.

“There is no question Oancea has acted with the intent to harm Cabo Platinum and its reputation,” said the judgment the judge signed after it was submitted by the plaintiff’s attorneys. “Oancea’s conduct has been despicable and has subjected Cabo Platinum to cruel and unjust hardship with an apparent conscious disregard for Cabo Platinum’s rights.”

Andre said the most difficult part of the case is that his family was close to Oancea.

“We were friends so much that pretty much every time he came to town, we would all go out to dinner,” he said.

Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.