The state of Iowa recently became the subject of a lawsuit after two players felt wronged by the system. Two poker players were driving through the state last year with their winnings when a police offer pulled them over and the money was confiscated. William Davis and John Newmerzhycky are professional poker players who found themselves out their money and now have filed suit to get their winnings back.
The two are claiming the seizure of their funds was unlawful and they are now suing the state for reimbursement. In April of last year, the two were returning from a trip to Illinois for a World Series of Poker circuit tournament. The Des Moines Register reports that the men were pulled over in a red Nissan Altima which had Nevada plates. Court documents are not clear as to why the car was pulled over and the poker players claim they were unfairly targeted and just pulled over for the out-of-state plates on the vehicle.
Police have tried to stay they were tipped off that the car may have been subject to criminal activity and that is the reason for the pull over. The report states that Trooper Justin Simmons pulled the car over and seized the funds. The trooper’s dash cam shows the poker players used a turn signal and pulled over while the trooper report posts the two men in a negative light.
Simmons was apparently going to let the men off with a warning but then decided to ask if there was any drugs or cash in the car. The two said they did not but there was really $100,000 in the car. The trooper used a dog and found the money as well as a grinder which is used for grinding up marijuana. The grinder reportedly still had residue on it from marijuana. The players have been trying to get their money back for some time and will continue to fight the system for their winnings.
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