Poker Pro Says He Was Hog-Tied and Robbed of $57,500 Days After WSOP Cash

Two days after poker pro Jared Griener busted out of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in 218th place for $57,500, he says he was ambushed at his rental apartment, hog-tied, and robbed of all his cash.

In a series of posts on X, Griener, of Huntington Beach, Calif., said he returned to his Airbnb at around 8 p.m. Sunday, shortly after collecting his WSOP winnings. But two men were already inside waiting for him.

“I came back to my Airbnb a few hours ago and when I walked in the door there were two black guys waiting for me. They tackled me and pinned me down and told me they would kill me if I moved,” claimed Griener, who has more than $3 million in career tournament earnings, according to The Hendon Mob Database.

Threats to Kill

The two men demanded to know where Griener’s backpack was, again threatening to kill him if he didn’t tell them. Griener said he told them he had left it in his car and begged them to take whatever they wanted.

The men then moved him into the living room and bound his hands and feet with duct tape. They placed dishes from the kitchen on his back and warned they would hear him if he tried to move while they searched the apartment.

After realizing the men had left, Griener said he managed to wriggle free by slipping off his shoes and loosening the tape. He then ran to a neighbor’s home to call 911.

He believes the men may have followed him after he collected his winnings from the WSOP, which is being held at the interconnected Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas.

“It’s likely someone was watching me at @wsop and knew that I was on my way home with cash,” he wrote.

Inside Job?

Chillingly, the suspects appeared to know both the Airbnb’s door code and Griener’s movements. According to Griener, neighbors’ surveillance footage showed the men arriving about 10 minutes before he returned.

Griener said his 911 call prompted a large police response, including crime scene investigators and a helicopter search for the suspects. The poker player added he was unharmed but traumatized by the ordeal.

Griener’s posts quickly attracted widespread attention within the poker community, with many expressing sympathy and urging players to take extra precautions when carrying cash after tournaments, although some users were skeptical and questioned aspects of his account.