Image Credit: Jim Spellman/WireImage.com
Tobey Maguire’s attorney has fired back after a bankruptcy trustee sued the actor for over $300,000 in allegedly illegal poker winnings, saying Maguire is innocent of any wrongdoing. The court filings released on Thursday say that Maguire didn’t only win while playing hedge fund manager and convicted con man Bradley Ruderman, he also lost $168,500. Maguire’s attorney says that he shouldn’t owe the Ponzi investors anything, but if the actor is required to pay anything back, it should be reduced to the amount he lost in the private Texas Hold ‘em games held in various upscale Los Angeles-area hotels.
The lawyers representing Ruderman’s clients are asking for $4 million from the 22 players named in the suit, and claim that Maguire is not entitled to his winnings because they came from $5.2 million of Ruderman’s clients’ money.
To me this sounds bogus. I think the people who lost their money are just trying to find another deep pocket from which to recoup their losses. There’s probably really no saying whether the money the ACTUAL criminal used in the games was rightfully earned or stolen, and nobody seems to even be alleging that Tobey Maguire knew anything about the Ponzi scheme.
Get!!! Out!!! His attorney says he’s innocent!?!?
I can honestly say I never saw that one coming!
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t gambling illegal in California?
Hats off to wohveer wrote this up and posted it.