Hello,
My name is Hal Lewis and I am a partner in a Law Firm Fonvielle Lewis Messer & McConnaughhay in South Florida and a poker aficionado. I wanted to let the poker community know how much of a scumbag Maurice Hawkins is. I have included a link to a recent article in my local newspaper that explains in more detail what happened.
http://floridapolitics.com/archives/...r-staking-deal
I'll be brief but I met Maurice over a year ago at 1 of the local Florida casinos. He knew I am wealthy and immediately tried to engage me and talk with me. As I got to know him he seemed like a very likable guy. He was charming and would offer me poker tips. Unfortunately there was a hidden motive. As soon as he felt he could, he asked me to stake him in tournaments. I have never done this before but he showed me his results and they seemed impressive. Granted I should have asked people about him and his reputation because later I found out he had been trespassed out of pretty much every Florida casino. He is a cheater and an angleshooter and a bully. But I was naive and agreed to stake him in a 50/50 deal. I put up the money and wire it to his wife's account.
So let's just say that as soon as Maurice started winning decent scores, he had excuse after excuse as to why he couldn't pay me. He then said he just wasn't feeling it and wanted to end the arrangement. I decided that was in our best interests because he was unreliable and I had heard from other people that he sold over 100% of himself multiple times in different tournaments and quickly busted out to pocket the extra money.
In any event, I told him I needed my $22,000+ back right away and he told me that would be impossible because he's broke. I was shocked and angry and disgusted. I have text messages where he claimed he owes me but gambled blackjack and lost. After I kept pressing, he had the nerve to call me a bully and claim he owes me nothing. He is a piece of **** and just an awful awful human being. As I researched him further, I have heard stories about him that would make me puke. He has cheated so many people out of so much money and he does it in the poker community. That's why I am suing him.
I just wanted to let everyone know what he did and to never loan this guy a dime. I talked to 3 people the other day who told me that Maurice owes them over $80,000 between them.
Please read the article and let everyone know not to trust this guy.
Thank you,
Hal Lewis