Chris Bolek Awarded WSOPC Title After Pelton Disqualified

Nearly two weeks after finishing runner-up at the WSOPC Palm Beach Kennel Club Event #9, Christopher Bolek (photo) has now been awarded the $1,125 NL title after initial winner Chan Pelton was disqualified for attempting to remove a 25k chip from the tournament.
Even though the chip was removed from his own stack, it was considered theft according to WSOP tournament rules, and so while Chris Bolek and the other 18 players who cashed in the event can  expect to receive the balance of Chan Pelton’s forfeited prize money, Pelton’s professional poker career now lies in tatters having been disqualified for life from all future WSOP competitions.
Bolek apparently received news of the verdict on Wednesday and while he said he welcomed the extra money, he nevertheless stressed that the win was tainted and that he had in no way anticipated the surprise decision. Commenting on his victory by default, Chris Bolek, said:
“I’ll take it. As far as the actual act of stealing the chip, my first inclination was that he genuinely wanted a souvenir and that he just did something really boneheaded..I, in no way, felt cheated over the course of the tournament or questioned the result; and I still feel the same way now.”
Meanwhile, Chan Pelton, who had carved out a successful career for himself on the WSOPC circuit until being stripped of his third ring, has now become a persona non grata at all future WSOP and WSOPC events, as well as from Caesars Entertainment properties or any casino hosting a WSOP event. Talking about his reaction to the strict judgement, Pelton said he was considering a possible lawsuit, adding:
“I’m literally shell-shocked. This is my livelihood, and this is the first time I’ve even been close to any sort of infraction.”
Nevertheless, on May 25, 2012, Chan Pelton was arrested after police found him asleep in a vehicle with the engine still running, only to then discover a pound of marijuana, some Xanax pills, and $1,760 in cash which he said was his poker winnings.