Recently the home game I was playing in was greeted with a warm welcome instructions of "GET YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEAD" while large men with machine guns drawn stormed into the room. The vice had come and raided our game.

We were doing no illegal activities whatsoever. The game had no rake, no food/beverages being sold, not hosted in a business, and was competed on equal terms. Our game fell under the state of Hawaii law of "Social Gambling" 712-1231.

We were arrested, held in jail overnight, booked, charged with "gambling" and recently our names and pictures were featured all over the state of Hawaii like we are criminals. When trying to explain to the police that our game was legal, all we were met with is an insistence that our game was raked and was illegal.

All our the money on the table and in our pockets/bags were seized and is lost forever. The media coverage has basically portrayed us as criminals in the same class as any other murderer, drug lord, or any other criminal.

All of this over a case of guys getting together and playing a $1-$2 weekly home game. I am pleading with the poker community to please share some advice and help us!

http://mauinow.com/2012/08/22/9-arre...gambling-raid/

1. Sign up for the PPA
2. Contact Patrick Fleming

Pathetic, sorry to hear this has happened to you guys. What's even more sad is the pictures, is that normal in your country?

Same **** has happened in Holland before, cops raiding a bingo night with only elderly people. Really pathetic, quess playing games is organised crime.

Sorry to hear about that. Living in Hawaii sounds grand, except for the fact that you have to cross an ocean in order to go to a legal card room.

Sue the media outlet for slander and improper reporting. You wont get a thing from the government.

Edit: nvm the reported facts.. does make ya look like ice addicts tho! Lol. If only it was dog who caught ya!

Mugshots taken when suspects are booked are usually publicly available, and the press will often publish them for high profile crimes. Of course, the press risks a lawsuit for defamation if they state (prior to a conviction) that those who were arrested actually committed the alleged crime. But still, the damage to one's reputation from the bad publicity can be irreparable.

Actually, the article only stated that the police conducted a raid and made arrests. It did not allege anything about what the people who were arrested were doing at the time.

While you're unlikely to get anything by suing the government, it is sometimes possible. Especially if they have violated your civil rights under 42 USC 1983. There have been some substantial judgments in favor of people who were done wrong by law enforcement.

The cops really don't have anything better to do then bust a friendly home game that is unraked. Seems ridiculous, your mug shots make you all look like criminals so people will go with it but if it was a bunch of old ladies playing then the public would be outraged.

"We were doing no illegal activities whatsoever"

No offense but sometimes you get got. If i take a look at that crew I would say they look to average 2-3 illegal activities per day. This is why they showed up, and they got the warrant because of reported raked poker games.

now you have to deal and get a lawyer to make things right...got to play the game.

Good luck, OP. Damn shame.

This sucks but just have to bite the bullet, lawyer up and should win as they cant prove the game was raked.

Suggestion although unorthodox is to have a webcam / security camera recording the game. If shown to the judge, with no rake or profits being made other than winnings through out up until when the police bust in would be instant fold by the courts.

Crazy idea I know, but write Obama. He was born in your state.

Make sure the camera isn't visible and the feed goes offsite or else the cops would probably confiscate it.

Even if the legal charges may not be serious, I'd encourage you to retain an attorney in order to protect your good name and rights to play poker. Perhaps inquire with the PPA if you are members to see if they can help! I tweeted the link to this thread at a couple of them.

Assuming all the facts as you state them are true, stories like this really upset me. I'm sorry this happened to you, OP.

I think Hawaii should worry about the meth epidemic instead of a 1/2 game!!!

Wheres Dawg the Bounty hunter!!

Just because you may not have been PPA members before the raid doesn't mean you can't join now.

While I agree with this on a general level, it's not really a reasonable argument. Different divisions are responsible for enforcing different laws. These guys go after gambling and vice, not meth labs or hit n' runners. Even if the division were to be reduced in size, there would still be a division tasked with "going after" gambling activities.

Really sucks OP. Best of luck to you.

This is a game I usually play in but my folks were in town visiting and couldnt make it. Thank god.

I talked with the prosecuting attorney and apparently two informants are claiming there was a forced rake at the end of the night. I have played this game over 100x in the past 4 or 5 years and I can say for sure, it has NEVER been raked, EVER.

Here in Maui when the police arrest you, they always hit you with the, hey if you give up something we will reduce your charges. Pretty sure people lied to get a lesser charges. This game is one of the most popular well known games around with pretty much an open door policy. We have had prosecutors, police, and politicians play in this game before.

Im pretty sure the boys will be cleared, but the public embarrassment is pretty sick especially for this small island. I wasnt even in the bust and my cell phone was blowing up all weekend after this happened.

No aloha for poker players on Maui, I guess.

The Maui "vice" and "morals police" should focus on busting the old, sagging, naked hippies who fire dance at Little Beach on Sundays. *Shudder*

Is it time for an internet poker home game with play money, and settling up in cash after each session?

Or is it over?

The Government has better things to do IMO than raid home poker games, especially ones with no rake, and at those stakes. I mean come on, poker is a game of skill, not of chance. Definitely join the PPA and contact them man.

Not to be a jerk or anything but I've played in 4 home games in NY(one was busted) but all were raked. The Maui police obviously had info that this game was raked. Now I'm not saying it was or it wasn't because I don't know but if it was I would say it wasn't.

Ya I have a home game in Maui and we have not played since because of this. We don't rake or anything but not many people hear understand the difference.