Poker pro Antonio Esfandiari is known for making chips disappear from other player’s stacks, but it was his money that was subject to an underhanded trick in July.
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Antonio Esfandiari was the victim of a high-stakes robbery back in July according to a recent police report. (Image: WSOP)
Esfandiari, otherwise known as The Magician, saw $1 million vanish from his Las Vegas apartment on July 14.
News of the high-stakes heist came to light late last week courtesy of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Following the arrest of Svitlana Silva, the poker community learned that Esfandiari had been the victim of an alleged inside job.
Silva Allegedly Exploits Golden Opportunity
As per the police report, Silva was booked and charged with theft on August 23. She’s alleged to have stolen $150,000 in cash, up to $500,000 in poker chips and a platinum bracelet worth $350,000 from Esfandiari’s apartment.
A $35,000 Hublot watch and other valuables worth almost $10,000 were also reported as stolen by the poker pro and his father, Bejan.
Silva was the only person, other than Esfandiari and his father, to have access to the condo. She had been living with Bejan off and on for some time and was previously left alone in the apartment.
The report states that Silva knew the passcode to Bejan’s iPad, a code that was similar to the one used for the safe. The Arizona native told police that she moved out of the condo in March and returned the key.
However, evidence has since emerged that she lost vast sums of money in a private poker game.
Antonio Esfandiari Catches Bluff
Antonio Esfandiari was tipped off by a member of the local poker community. Detectives followed up and found that Silva had signed papers each time she bought into the high-stakes game.
When the receipts were reviewed, she’d spent more than $300,000 and used chips from the Aria and Bellagio. A text message sent by Silva shows that she tried to buy back the Aria chips after cashing out.
“Hey, forgot to tell you my chips have special mark on, so if they’re stolen, they can’t be cashed out,” reads the report.
Silva was subsequently arrested at the Aria and charged with theft. She has since bailed out of jail but will appear before a judge at Las Vegas Justice Court in October.
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