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Poker Player wins $95,000 in UK Tournament, Lost it all Back to Government
Tags: Adam Lulat, Grosvenor United Kingdom Poker Tour, United Kingdom.
Posted on 16 August 2018 by "T".

In March, a 26-year-old poker player from England won the 2018 Grosvenor United Kingdom Poker Tour Manchester Main Event for £68,930 (around $95,000). However, something he did in the past will take all of his winnings, leaving his pockets completely empty.

Adam Lulat managed to defeat a player field of 241 in the £1,000 + £110 Main Event at the 2018 GUKPT Manchester, scheduled from March 1 to 4 at the Grosvenor Casino.

He went into the final table as the chip leader and continued to dominate, eventually besting fellow Brit player Gary Whitehead in a heads-up showdown to take home the trophy and the cash prize worth £68,930 (approx. $95,000).


This win is a great addition to his career as this is by far his biggest cash ever won in poker (he just had $17,000 in cashes prior to this tournament). However, almost six months later, he would be given notice of a UK court's order - that he must repay all the cash he won to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, the British tax collector, who states that he still owes money to his victims from a crime that he committed back in 2010 and 2011.

A Dark Past comes back to Haunt
In September 2015, Lulat pleaded guilty to money laundering and was slapped a 28-month jail sentence for being involved in laundering £40 million (about $51.2 million). He and his companions were ordered to pay back £590,000 they admittedly stole; however, at the time Lulat possessed no cash or assets worthy to be seized, and so he was ordered to pay only £1, according to BBC.

After learning of his good fortune at the poker tournament, the court ordered that he pay the amount of £71,770 - all of the money he won at the tournament plus £2,840 he had in a bank. Should he fail to repay this amount within 3 months, he faces an extra 15 months behind bars.

HMRC Assistant Director of Fraud Investigations Debbie Porter said, "Lulat thought he'd aced the tournament but we had the better hand in the end. We will not allow tax fraudsters like Lulat to enjoy their winnings until they've repaid what they've stolen from the taxpayer. HMRC will relentlessly pursue criminals for their ill-gotten gains."

Criminal Activity
From September 2010 to November 2011, Lulat was involved with a group that "fabricated businesses to make fraudulent VAT repayment claims against multiple EU member states using a complex web of transactions."

It was found that Lulat made more than £237,000 through this scheme.

The Lancashire Post said that Lulat was jailed for 28 months in September 2015, but his Hendon Mob info showed two live cashes - November and December 2016 - during the time he was supposed to be in jail.

Source:
https://www.lep.co.uk/news/crime/preston-fraudster-wins-70-000-in-top-manchester-poker-tournament-then-gets-it-confiscated-by-her-majesty-s-revenue-and-customs-1-9298060
https://uk.pokernews.com/news/2018/03/adam-lulat-crowned-2018-gukpt-manchester-champions-30081.htm
http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=265890

 

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15 comments on "Poker Player wins $95,000 in UK Tournament, Lost it all Back to Government"


 doubletop77716/08/2018 07:46:02 GMT
This really was a kick in the teeth, after thinking that he had won a very nice amount but had to pay it all back to customs. It just goes to show that crime doesnt pay and your past always catches up with you
 Serpang16/08/2018 08:19:26 GMT
Yeah..responsibility !!!Anyway take all his money really cruel policy, not thinking how will he continue his life decently ? no way or chance for installments? is it positive policy ? worried he will back to be criminal again because that hurt by 'wise or good or saint' people. Never learn about virtuous and generous ? Worship Worship
 bowie198416/08/2018 14:44:37 GMT
Yeah, agree - it's hard to take the 'victim' side on cases like this where obviously he was in the wrong on a previous occasion. But honestly the tax office reacted a bit late too, since probably the money was on his account many months before the initial claim arrived so they could have see he has assets to seize much earlier than this.
 Mober16/08/2018 15:08:50 GMT
They did well. It was the right decision from the court. If we take in mind how much money he owes from his criminal activities, probably they will confiscate any future winnings also.
And again they will be right too.
Not to mention that the article says, he was supposed to be in prison, when he got two live cashes Smile
 CALICUL16/08/2018 15:31:19 GMT
This Adam Lulat has luck and bad luck in his life. I am very pleased that this amount stops him for paying a part of the damages caused by this felon and his friends. In the future if he earns money, i think will be confiscated again and it will remain without money. He deserves this.
 pajalnick16/08/2018 17:44:50 GMT
interesting news ... of course taxes must be paid ... greedy state always wants some of your money .... and to fight with the state machine as it seems useless .... it is useless because the state has practically inexhaustible resources for fighting you .. .. this is of course sad
 Gerimantas16/08/2018 20:43:29 GMT
It is of course strange information, because guy liie gendon mob information say ppayes two live tournament and in this time he has to be in jail, so something is not good here. It is also sad to see win you make take from you gy government
 erru910716/08/2018 20:46:38 GMT
I can see from your comments that the general opinion is that he's just gonna have to deal with it and it serves him right and so on. Well, I can tell you that since I'm working with people like him daily, this is not the way to go for the HMRC if they want him to refrain from relapsing and committing new crimes. I get that they want to seize all of his winnings and whatever he has on his account, and they should do that, but not in this way. Basically threattening with another prison sentence if he doesn't pay it all in a lump sum is just gonna add to his personal stress and he's gonna start feeling some despare and desperation.

Knowing from experience (I've seen this happen to a lot of people), this does in at least 70% of the cases result in the person in question actually committing new crimes to try and cover the expenses and actually have enough to survive with rent and bills and food and what not.

Those people who I've seen that doesn't fall back into criminal activity are those who actually makes a deal with the authorities and make some sort of a payment plan. Most of them get to pay a smaller lump sum, like 10-20% of the total amount, and then pay off the remaining during the next couiple of years (lenght depends on how big the debt is).

I could just go on about this for ages but I'm gonna try to keep it short so I'll cut myself off here. Bottom line is however that yes, they should get the money back, but not in the way they are doing it. It will most likely, based on statistics, result in him falling back into his criminal thoughtprocess and possibly even action.
 Serpang17/08/2018 03:46:50 GMT
Posted by erru9107:


Those people who I've seen that doesn't fall back into criminal activity are those who actually makes a deal with the authorities and make some sort of a payment plan. Most of them get to pay a smaller lump sum, like 10-20% of the total amount, and then pay off the remaining during the next couiple of years (lenght depends on how big the debt is).

I could just go on about this for ages but I'm gonna try to keep it short so I'll cut myself off here. Bottom line is however that yes, they should get the money back, but not in the way they are doing it. It will most likely, based on statistics, result in him falling back into his criminal thoughtprocess and possibly even action.


Yes, I think that is the best solution. But some officer over assertive, narrow minded, strict and proud with act like that, forgot humanity factor. Wisdom sometimes need broke regulations. just real hero can do it
Smile
 bowie198417/08/2018 19:11:30 GMT
He is a small time crook. Fabricating companies for the sole reason to make fake VAT repay claims is a bit of money laundering and a bit of true white collar crime. Even if he was the 'failguy' in the operation he probably put away money he stole on offshore account so I dont root for him in his fight against the goverment
 Calmplay19/08/2018 15:32:04 GMT
Damn I feel so sad for the player who finished runner up there as if he won it that nice amount of money would not go in the government bank account. The richer just get richer Thumbs Down
 bowie198422/08/2018 01:06:19 GMT
Posted by Calmplay:
Damn I feel so sad for the player who finished runner up there as if he won it that nice amount of money would not go in the government bank account. The richer just get richer Thumbs Down

At least the runner-up kept his prize money since he was not a crook with criminal past.
 dule-vu22/08/2018 04:36:37 GMT
well dont know what to say on this news!if he was guilty,then he must pay this and no matter how much time passed from that!this is how it is in big countries!they will wait for you to pay tax for 100 years if then need,but you will pay!
 misteriopj26/08/2018 20:40:09 GMT
Unfortunately everyone who owes justice and a group of people for illegal acts must pay, but the past always beats the person, I hope I do not end up in jail and win a tournament again and recover.
 CALICUL27/08/2018 17:45:01 GMT
Honestly, i do not want the criminals, to receive the right to play money poker tournaments. As professional poker players speak: poker is a game between gentlemen or something like that, then they must be restricted. From my point of view: those who have problems with justice should be banned to play in tournaments.

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