20 Arrested in Topless Poker Bust
Tweet ShareJanuary 25, 2010 by Mike Ferguson · 2 Comments
If you are going to engage in an illegal activity, it’s probably not a very good idea to advertise it on Craigslist. This week in Michigan, where all gambling is illegal except in state regulated casinos, police raided the Kentwood Room in the Grand Rapids Ramada Inn where they discovered an illegal poker game going on and the cards being dealt by topless dealers, one of whom was completely naked.
Twenty of those playing poker were arrested along with four of the topless dealers.
Even though local television reports credited the bust to an undercover sting operation, organizers had openly distributed fliers to promote the event as well as publishing an ad on Craigslist.
The ad announcing the next meeting of the Grand Rapids Poker Club was submitted on January 4, 2010, listing the game would be taking place on January 16th and would offer “free open limited bar, free food, TOPLESS DEALERS AND HOSTESS’S.” The ad further advised that this was a private poker club but that membership was free, and they would offer sit and go’s, cash tables, tournaments, other games and special surprises.
In recent months the poker club had held a total of three such meetings at the hotel, all in the Kentwood Room, and attracted as many as 40 poker players. An additional game was planned for Jan. 30.
Lt. Curt Schram of the Michigan State Police stated the investigation was continuing and he wouldn’t rule out the possibility that further arrests would be made, considering the likelihood that hotel employees were somehow involved. “These topless dealers would perform different aerobic exercises. Twister games for tips, Jell-O shots for tips,” he said.
The operator of the games, local promoter Bill Northey, who has not yet been charged, related to police authorities his belief that his poker game was illegal due to the fact he was not charging any rake, and that he interpreted state law to mean that as long as there is not a rake, no gambling regulations were violated. Northey collected a fee at the door to cover the drinks, the food, the rental of the Kentwood Room, and fees for the topless dealers who he refers to as “Angels of Game Night.”
The players were arrested on the charge of frequenting or attending gaming places — a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail—and are expected to be arraigned next week.
Poker players who were later interviewed all were under the impression that game was in fact legal and Northey continually represented the poker club as a legal entity, expressly reassuring participants that all games and tournaments were completely within the legal limits of the law.
But mixing nudity and gambling and liquor generally adds up to felonies and Northey that he is scared to death he will be criminally charged. Operators of the Ramada Inn are also feeling the heat and took steps to immediately distance themselves in a press release, claiming to have no knowledge of any illegal events taking place.
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did they drop the charges or are they being prosecuted?
I am writing this to help clear up some misconceptions and some of the details that were missing from all the news articles. I was there at the games that were being run there. I got to talk the organizer a lot during the three games i was there for.
First there is a law in michigan that covers home poker games. It say you can have a private game so as long as the host does not take a rake or profit from the game in any way other than what they may make by winning. You are allowed to cover expenses.
He showed it to me when I asked him if this was legal. He also told me before he did it he checked with law enforcement in another county because the first time he was going to do this the hotel he was going to do it in canceled him out the day before it was to happen. He then called the sheriff of that county who told him what he did wrong and what he needed to do. The main thing was keeping it private no public walk ups like being members only. Which is why you had to be a member to get in. He advertised on clist for new members.
He also told him to make sure the hotel was aware of everything because their liquor liscense could be affected. He told me the hotel told him the room the game was in was not covered by the liquor license. To protect himself from any possible alcohol violations he gave it away. I asked him how is he making money on this and i got a look like making money I am lucky to be breaking even. Between the room cost,food and alcohol. I asked why his he doing it. He said it was fun and he was hoping to get some bookings out of it for his main business Gamenight Angels.
The dealers being topless was just a perk. They did nothing wrong nothing illegal. The second game was a bit more wild than the first. There were jello shots but nothing wild and the twister r was abit wild I do know Bill kept a tight rein on things and even sent girls home for not following the rules.
The first game had 24 people. He paid out 5 place which is a helleva lot better than most poker rooms. ( I was one of the lucky 5). The second game there was only 17 player and the third night while 20 people got arrested you have to figure out of the 20 8 of them were the 5 girls bill, his asst. and oh yeah one undercover officer.
They confiscated a total of maybe $400 and a laptop computer. It took about 15 officers to do this.
This is what it looks like to me now….and this could be a warning for all home leagues games and hotels in michigan.
Hotels and place that have private party rooms with a alcohol liscense be aware that every bachelor party you book that may have strippers or adult entertainment could leave you open for a violation in the same vein best men of those parties if you collect from the guys to cover expenses and then decide to play poker you would then be in violation of michigan gaming laws. Just something to think about..