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Poker Pariahs

A who’s who of poker bad guys

Comments (73)
by , Apr 6, 2009 | 5:40 pm

We try not to engage in too much schadenfreude here at Pokerati, but the last post about Amarillo Slim’s efforts to restore his stature in the poker world has me contriving a poll in my head about who are/were the most undesirable people in/from poker.

Current Poker Sith Lords
Russ Hamilton — guilty til proven innocent, and with good cause.
Ernie Scherer III — he’s still innocent til proven guilty, but considering that he faces the death penalty for killing his parents to pay off poker debts — and the last 10 Google searches found on his computer were “countries that don’t extradite to the U.S.“, I think we can rest assured that he will not become a Full Tilt pro anytime soon.

Dishonorable Mentions
James McDaniel — this Dallas poker room operator was convicted of killing an ex-cop, engaged in collusion in Oklahoma (my personal observation and unproven accusation), and is currently on trial for supplying drugs to one of his railbirds who ended up OD’d-dead in a portable toilet.

Reformed Reputations
Jamie Gold
Justin Bonomo
Dutch Boyd

Jury Still Out
David Sklansky — technically crime-free, but young aspiring female players are hardly flocking to his tutelage.
Amarillo Slim — he says he’s not guilty, and his family and a lie detector now apparently agree, even though his criminal record implies otherwise.
Layne Flack — everybody seems to like Layne, but unless he’s working undercover a la Poker Brasco, hanging with Russ Hamilton surely won’t help him get sponsored by Ultimate Bet.

So who else? Really, I’m not looking for a bunch of potentially libelous name-calling … but I am looking to create a list of once and future poker bad-guys, and maybe a rating system for criminals and outcasts and offenses that may or may not attract the attention of law enforcement, but still result in scorn and contempt from fellow poker players.


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  • Randy

    BTW,   Got the award:

               MOST HATED GUY IN POKER—-2011

  • Jhonnyjones

    think he is banned from eddies game and brooklyn games
    hes a real bad dude.

  • Joegorga

    AARON KATZ!     Every poker player alive knows about this dirtbag.
    He used to prowl around the Belligio poker room acting like he is playing
    and talking trash to and about high stakes players.  He’s a really jealous creepy type and says disgusting, vial things to women dealers and massage girls.
    I think people are kinda scared of him because he is sooooo evil looking and talking.  He is also a well-known cheater in the California casino’s and the reason he is on East Coast is just as expected—–because he is banned or busted in every casino on west coast!  He plays in Matt Glantz game in AC i heard.  Don’t know why really and what is up with that. 

  • is this the real matt glantz

    everyone knows of aaron katz.  Just say, he will tap out of ac just like everywhere else.  none of the players want nothing to do with him in ac…
    what are they suppose to do with him . i heard they give free room to this dirt bag.  matt glantz should get him banned from the matt glantz room.  hee hee

    k

  • matt glantz room baby baby

    MATT GLANTZ room in AC?  Give me a break?  Hopefully, that was a BIG ole JOKE?  Did he not go running out of BOBBY’S room.  hell yeah

    m

  • Johnny

    Players are NOT wanting to play in that game because AARon Katz is there.
    It’s hurting that game because even the “big” fish are staying away.  He scares
    them off.  No player wants to listen or put up with him.  Plus, he does dirty underhanded things to other players and tells lies back in forth. 

  • Lil

    I think the level of character assassination I have just read about Aaron Katz is disgusting.  Anyone who knows him is aware that he is an excellent player. Sounds like there are a lot of whiny, poor losers.

  • http://pokerati.com Dan Michalski

    I agree, and struggle with whether or not I can leave these comments up. It’s all just hearsay about a guy I don’t know and have never met.
    Pokerati is not a place for personal attacks. At least not without a court order lol.

  • Lil

    Also, I must add that I have played with Aaron Katz on the west coast for many years and have always found him to be honest and upstanding.  These comments make me very angry that there a bunch of losers that would actually post such nonsense.  You will be lucky not to be sued for liable.  

  • BarneyRubble

    You wrote an article naming the “bad guys in poker” and yet you state this is not a place for personal attacks?! Cut me a break. You don’t know Aaron. I have known him since 1996, and I am a professional poker player. I have been around him, the games in which he has played and the people he has played with for almost 20 years. He is every bit as bad as they say he is, and conversely he is also a very good player. Nevertheless, a very very bad seed.

  • http://pokerati.com Dan Michalski

    There is a big difference when people have charges against them, or I personally know of their misdeeds. I’ve left it all up for now because his defenders can just as easily post comments here, or AK could post himself.
    I’m confident we haven’t crossed into libel territory here, but just acknowledging to his line defender that I have no beef, nor direct knowledge of said beefs, either way.
    It’s not a personal attack when reporting verifiable facts.

    Hey, to some extent I’m a Russ Hamilton defender (because I don’t believe what the KGC told us) … But he’s still included because it is factual that he is perceived as a pariah.

  • Steve

    Lil = Aaron

  • jack

    FACT:  AAron Katz was just barred from Borgatta Hotel for stealing chips off someone stack.  You can call poker director.  Anyone that would take up for this guy MUST be just like him or does’nt know him.  He is also barred from Belligio and Commerce.  So LIL you think all these casino’s barred him for being “honest” and “upstanding?  I work at one of these casion’s and have seen the charges from over 25 employees alone.  Since you think he is so great LIL then why don’t you let him play in YOUR game because he running out of places..I guess next is Europe? BTW, No pro has ever lost to Aaron.  Actually he owes a game in NYC $1 million which his daddy is paying off.  Maybe LIL, you should check YOUR facts.  Maybe your aaron but, you don’t sound sleezy enough.

  • Jac

    LIL …just thought YOU HAVE TO BE AAron.  He has no friends that would be very angry or want to sue for liable.  If you are being talked about bad on here than you DESERVE IT!!  AAron KATZ is a scumbag that has done bad things to people and places.  Hopefully Borgatta will press charges since it just happened.  So, AARON, thats what you get for being a scumbag and cheating people.  BTW,
    no one is sued for liable anymore.  Just does’nt happen you idiot.

  • poker pariahs

    Please Google….
    GCA “Aaron Katz, honest player?”

    It’s funny, but 8 years ago.  It must have been the start of his demise…

  • jim herron

    NEW BAD GUY:  The new Russ Hamilton,

    It is spreading through the poker world like wild fire.
      ELI ELEZRA has robbed poker players out of millions.  This coming from a top casino excutive that sent out a warning to all players NOT to loan money to Eli Elezra. He said that Eli Elezra has robbed over 20 players and then made threats to the players if they tried to collect the money he would make big trouble for them by making false police reports and playing the victim.  According to the casino exec he has been a liar and phony for years and scamming people.  He’s cllaiming the Eli also stole $2 million from Full Tilt (which who cares) and top players at Full Tilt and also from Bobby’s room.
    Heard magazines were going to do full articles after the investigation.

  • http://pokerati.com Dan Michalski

    I thought the new Russ Hamilton was Howard Lederer.

    When you use the word “rob” do you mean like violently with a gun, white-collarish by lying to people so he can steal from them, or what?
    “rob” is a strong word if we’re just talking full tilt stuff still.

  • scumbag poker players

    No, I mean he took personal BIG<BIG loans from top pro players.  He said he aint paying because of Full tilt of course!  that's the going excuse!
    He was getting 60,000 a month from Full Tilt and still would not pay hid debts.  he made threats to the players that tried to get him to pay. Searches me how the guy is still walking around.  Him and Eric Lingren.  They have NO remorse and are way worse than Howard!!!

  • poker pariahs

    No, i mean FLAT OUT ROBBED!!!! He took personal loans, some 400 and 800,000 a piece from top pros.  Finally a player hired a pro collector and he made threats to the players,filed phony police reports and played the victim…All in your face—I’m ROBBING you kind of way.  Eric Lindren has done the samething and it’s sick.  they both blame Full Tilt of course although, ELi was getting 60,000 a month from Full Tilt and Eric Lindren $250,000 and they were not paying people back then.  All the while living lavish lifestyles, flying aaround on private jets and etc…might as well had a gun!

  • Anonymous

    LOL i play with AK 4-5 times a week. He might be a bit irritating at times and has a huge ego but he plays very well and I don’t think he has bad intentions. He has a bad rep but alot of it is “over the top.” I like the guy and he’s a beast at the tables very tough to play against.

  • http://pokerati.com Dan Michalski

    then why are you “anonymous”? why not just say AK is my friend, my name is so-and-so, and i endorse this message?

  • Randy

    Eli Elezra robbed alot of pro’s out of millions.  Found to be a liar and has made threats to many players if they try to collect their money.  Beware of him.

  • http://twitter.com/HOLDEMAG Mike Owens

    Dutch Boyd’s reputation is not reformed. He is still a POS

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