Florida poker player claims fellow poker player Ray DePasquale is a career scammer
From 2+2: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/29...n-you-1365901/
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My name is Justin Fawbush and I play poker throughout the state of Florida.. The following is my story on how I was burned/scammed/deceived/robbed with my friends by a guy named Ray DePasquale.
Disclaimer: I will be blunt and know that I obviously made mistakes throughout the course of events that this story will tell. I realize my mistakes and am not really here to be told about those mistakes. I am here to tell you about the scumbag that this guy is so that he doesn't hurt the poker community like this in the future; whether its in Florida, Vegas, AC or wherever.
I first met Ray while I was playing at Jacksonville Best Bet over the early summer of 2013. Ray would frequent the regular 5-10 PLO games on a daily basis. I hung out with him a few times and he got to know a lot of the people that played in the Jacksonville room. Ray had mentioned a few times that he was a ticket broker and would make trips throughout the USA to make big deals. Ray showed that he had a lot of money and didn't really have a problem mentioning it to people. He would have no problem buying in 5k+ in the PLO game in JAX. Like I said, I was there two months this summer and the guy played all the time and I got to know him just through playing.
I left JAX and went back home after those two months and still kept in contact with some of the players. I knew that Ray had been grinding the PLO game at Hard Rock Tampa because another friend of mine had told me they met a guy from there that knew me. Here's where it gets fun: Ray had still been playing in JAX and made claims that he had won tournament tickets at HR Tampa for the SHRPO main. The catch is that the tickets were only transferable in Tampa. I learned of this bc I was trying to sell a little bit of my action for the SHRPO main and was told by some JAX guys that Ray had a deal at discount. Sounded great to me. I'd sell 15 pct and get my ticket at 3500. Two of my friends got similar deals. So the question now is.. How did you not have the tickets when you gave him the money? Ray's cover: Since we have to show up in person to do the transfer, he would need to just get our HR player numbers and give it to the floor people there and the floor guy from Tampa was going to be at Hollywood to deliver them for the start of the main. I know, I know. I'm a dumbass.
It gets elaborate: I headed down to HR Hollywood early last week to STAY AT RAY'S RENTED VACATION HOME that was a few miles away from HR. He invited me and my friends down there and just requested that we chip in for food. Nice guy right? The place was pretty dope and had a pool and all the gadgets. Pretty snazzy, for a millionaire and overall "nice guy." I thought it was a great deal to be able to grind cash games and play the main and a few other tournaments while I was there. Hell, the guy played cash games all week at HR. He was there, with his girlfriend Angela and she kind of just tagged along to the casino a few times but stayed at the house mostly. If you see her too, she's part of this whole scam.
We all had planned on playing day 1c (saturday) of the tournament and Ray was planning on that too. I woke up on Friday and Ray had mentions earlier in the week that a cleaning crew was going to be coming to the house Friday afternoon. Me and my two friends left Ray and his girlfriend at the house while the cleaning crew was supposed to come and Ray said he was going meet us at the HR later that evening to do the transfer for Saturday Day 1c.
When it came time for Ray to show up and do the transfer, he still was trying to sell it: "My GPS says I'm 33 minutes away, I have the vouchers. I made a reservation at Council Oaks steakhouse at HR at 9, will meet you guys there." When it finally came time for that, his phone was out of service immediately at 9pm. Around that time, we met another guy that was supposed to be meeting Ray. Looking confused as ever too.. Where's Ray? At this point, with egg on our face, we leave HR and head back to the house. All of Ray's stuff is gone and the room him and his girlfriend were staying at are empty.
I trusted Ray DePasquale. I learned afterwards that he had even given me the wrong last name. He told me his last name was Ray Dionne. I then learned that this is what he does. There is an entire Facebook group of people that have been burned by him. Apparently, he scammed people out of 400k in Super Bowl tickets in Indy a few years ago. He is wanted by the FBI and is a very bad person that will kill you with kindness and gain your trust.
I really think Ray was after more. He had mentioned earlier in the week that there was a safe in the house if we needed to use it to feel more secure. My friends and I never got around to actually using it but it could have been a massive hit to everyone.
I don't want this to happen to you. I don't know how to post pictures on here, but I have a mugshot of him from the Facebook group. The thing that still confuses me is that he would go through the trouble to do this for 15k and invite us all down. Florida poker knows about what he's done now and the guy is screwed on playing any game. For 15k when the guy played big the whole time I knew him. Very confusing to me.
I went on to play the main and busted that day to add insult to injury fwiw. One of the others that was scammed and made a run into deep last night before busto. Thought it would have been awesome for him to ship it just so we could tell the story about this screwjob.
I hope this helps all in the poker community in advance. I was too trusting to someone I thought was a friend. Call the cops if he shows up to your room.
His name is Ray DePasquale and he is 33 years old and is sometimes seen with a girl named Angela. Ray had really jacked up teeth and is about 6-5. Kind of looks like an uglier Vince Vaughn.
Cliff notes:
*My friend and I were taken for a fake promise on tickets by a guy that frequents bigger games in Florida.
*His name is Ray DePasquale and he is 33 years old and is sometimes seen with a girl named Angela. Ray had really jacked up teeth and is about 6-5. Kind of looks like an uglier Vince Vaughn.
*Will work on uploading a picture.
*Looking from the outside, it's easy to see my obvious trust mistakes. It wasn't that easy when it was actually happening. You hear silly scam stories all the time and you're like.. Never me. I thought the same. Don't let this happen to you.
Don't know either the victim or the alleged scammer, but story sounds pretty legit.
So beware of Ray DePasquale, or whatever fake last name he's using.
