Swindling Poker "Pro" Samuel McMaster's $1,461 Win Fails To Impress Judge

Alleged professional poker player Samuel McMaster Jr made all the headlines in August after striking a plea agreement with a New Mexico judge to repay the $444,000 life savings he conned from 20 elderly people while claiming to be an investor.
At the time, the deal captured the imagination of the poker community when Samuel McMaster managed to convince New Mexico District Court Judge Ross Sanchez, that he was a poker pro and should be given the chance to repay his victims by plying his trade on the green felts.
As the former insurance agent had been disqualified from working in the securities industry, the judge agreed to allow McMaster’s six months grace to play poker and repay $7,500 a month or otherwise face up to 12 years in jail.
At that time, an announcement was made which stated: “The judge has conditionally accepted the plea and disposition agreement and will accept or reject the plea agreement in November after reading the pre sentence report.”
However, it would appear the swindler was merely continuing his deception and was actually trying to bluff the judge with his poker pro claim. Samuel McMaster is now, instead, being tested for gambling addiction after he recently announced:
“I have never been nor will ever be a professional poker player.”
Samuel McMaster’s claim to be a poker pro originally raised plenty of suspicion, as a quick glance at his live tournament results showed he had earned just $30,181 since 2003.
However, in an attempt to recover monies for the victims, the judge decided to give McMaster a chance to prove his worth but the conman failed to transfer his impressive claim onto the poker tables. Instead, McMaster has succeeded in earning a mere $1,461 for a 13th place finish at a $300 Venetian Deep Stack event in November.
Samuel McMaster has therefore been unable to make a single payment to his victims and now faces a hefty spell in jail for his crimes.