By Max Tabaczynski and Thomas Fischer
A brazen poker gang ripped off numerous players at poker tournaments throughout Germany – including Bundesliga star and poker ace Max Kruse (35). But the public prosecutor’s office in Dresden found out about Schmu. Damage: at least 528,695 euros.
Since Monday, five poker brothers (37 to 46 years) have had to answer to the Dresden Regional Court. Allegation: commercial gang fraud in up to 29 cases. The most prominent defendant is also a football professional: Ronny Garbuschewski (37).
The Saxon (career end 2022) once played for Fortuna Düsseldorf, FSV Zwickau, Hansa Rostock, Energie Cottbus, Chemnitzer FC, Sachsen Leipzig – on Monday he was in the dock.
The kicker is said to have recruited players at his clubs in Rostock and Zwickau for poker evenings. Garbuschewski – who is also called “Saxony-Beckham” because of his appearance – said ruefully in court: “If you think about it afterwards, it’s absolutely not possible”. At the time, he was involved in the gang of fraudsters due to gambling debts that he could no longer pay. Another reason he gave – the amount of free time as a football professional.
Marked cards, infrared cameras, Bluetooth headsets and hand signals were used in the tournaments. There were tiny scan codes on the sides of the cards, after shuffling the cards, the camera could scan the codes and then calculate which player will win the game.
Using a Bluetooth connection, this result was transmitted to the dealer’s ear button. By means of secret hand signals when dealing cards, initiated players (so-called collectors) could then see who could win the round and thus control the stakes. The profits then pocketed the collectors, were later divided. Poker nights increased in Dresden, Hamburg, Rostock, Zwickau and Leipzig.
Celebrity Fraud Victim
At a poker night in Hamburg in 2014, 14-time national player Max Kruse is said to have lost 5,000 euros. According to the indictment, Kruse is one of the victims of the gang.
When asked by judge Joachim Kubista (59), Garbuschewski emphasized: “I wasn’t there with Max Kruse.” The co-defendant Mathias K. (43) – who was a dealer at the time – was able to report for this. Poker pro Jan-Peter Jachtmann (55) was sitting at the manipulated table in Hamburg at the time. He is said to have even lost 20,000 euros. According to Dealer K., this was the “main test run” for the rip-off system. “If he doesn’t notice it, then it’s relatively safe,” K. explained the system to the judge. And he hadn’t noticed.
After a deal with the judiciary, the defendants around Garbuschewski, Mathias K. (43), Daniel S. (37), Gordon L. (40) and Danny S. (46) admitted to the fraud. Previously there had been a deal on suspended sentences.