Poker Champ Who Alleged Kidnapping to Plead Guilty in Fraud Case

A Michigan poker participant who claimed to have been kidnapped and was later accused of fraud has agreed to enter a responsible plea, in line with court docket paperwork obtained by PokerNews.

George Janssen, a former used automobile dealership proprietor and four-time World Collection of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) ring winner, went lacking for a number of weeks in late 2023 and claimed to have been repeatedly giving “massive quantities of money” to males who had extorted him for greater than two years. In February, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) alleged in a grievance that Janssen had knowingly executed a scheme to defraud practically two dozen midwestern monetary establishments.

After requesting an extension to indict Janssen, the U.S. Division of Justice (DOJ) charged the poker participant on July 17 with one depend of monetary establishment fraud, a felony, alleging that he “knowingly executed a scheme or artifice to defraud and to acquire cash, funds or different property owned by or underneath the management of COPOCO Credit score Union, DORT Credit score Union, and others monetary establishments by way of materials false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or guarantees” from June 2016 to October 2023.

DOJ Requests Extra Time to Indict Michigan Poker Participant

Poker Champ to Enter Responsible Plea

Court docket filings present that Janssen consented to enter a responsible plea earlier than a U.S. Justice of the Peace Choose on July 18, a day after he was formally charged. Janssen’s plea listening to was pushed again a number of instances, most not too long ago being canceled on Aug. 11, and is at the moment scheduled to happen on Aug. 19.

The consent to enter a responsible plea, signed by Janssen, states that “if the responsible plea is accepted by United States District Choose Thomas L. Ludington, then Choose Ludington will determine whether or not to simply accept or reject any Rule 11 Plea settlement and can adjudicate guilt and impose sentence.”

Investigators allege that Janssen defrauded a number of credit score unions by submitting thousands and thousands of {dollars} value of fraudulent auto loans. The month earlier than he went lacking, Janssen allegedly misplaced his license to promote vehicles in Michigan for 5 years for falsifying enterprise paperwork.

In November 2023, a COPOCO Credit score Union government contacted the FBI to report that Janssen had deposited a collection of checks valued round $1.4 million to his enterprise Bay Auto Brokers that have been returned with inadequate funds. Within the meantime, the credit score union had issued Janssen with $1.3 million in legitimate checks that have been deposited within the Bay Auto Brokers account.

Investigators say a number of buddies of Janssen approached legislation enforcement “to clear their title and specific concern that they had been defrauded by Janssen, who satisfied them to take out a number of car loans.”

Janssen’s kidnapping claims, that are documented in Michigan police experiences and talked about within the FBI grievance, included dramatic particulars and has attracted worldwide media consideration.

Janssen is a longtime poker participant with $453,542 in The Hendon Mob earnings. He’s a four-time WSOP Circuit ring winner and Main Collection of Poker: The Tour (MSPT) champion, having received the MSPT Venetian Predominant Occasion for $82,823 in September 2023.

Janssen’s legal professional, Keith E. Corbett of Corbett & Kozar, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Connor Richards is a Senior Editor U.S. for PokerNews and host of the Life Exterior Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for 3 International Poker Awards for his writing.