I think it's not fraud since he uses his real name, right?

edit: Just realized how stupid that sounds. I just recall him saying that he uses his real name and not a made up one for some legal reason.

I can't believe the book deal fell through.

He made Deadspin:

http://deadspin.com/poker-addict-and...10479/+barryap

Yeah, definitely. After all, the crux of Mike's scheme is that such-and-such airlines cancelled his flight due to bad weather.

But I also wonder if it's how he got caught.

Normally, a victim would fall for Mike's story, give him some money, then get on their flight. It wouldn't be until days, weeks or months later that the victim would realize he has been had. But with the weather actually canceling flights, it increases the likelihood that someone fell for his act, got stuck at the airport, then caught him giving the same sob story to someone else.

In good weather, that victim would have been on the plane, unaware that the guy to whom they lent money was a scammer. But in inclement weather, said victim might see Mike up to his tricks, get suspicious (at the very least), and contact some authorities.

I'm sure the judge will throw it all out once he hears the Johnny Chan story.

Prediction: This will be one of the two NVG threads His buddy Chainsaw won't post in.

Chainsaw, why don't you help your old buddy?

Maybe there's a movie in this ?

Maybe his cousin from Brooklyn, Vinny Borovetz, will come down to defend his case ?

Vinny: My client was caught completely by surprise. He thought if he used his real name then he would not get arrested for fraud.

Judge Haller: What are you telling me? That he pleads not guilty?

Vinny: No. I'm just trying to explain.If you would let me I'll play a podcast for the Court ...

Judge Haller: I don't want to hear explanations. The state of North Carolina has a procedure. And that procedure is to have an arraignment. Are we clear on this?

Vinny: Yes, but there seems to be a great deal of confusion here. You see, my client--

Judge Haller: Uh, Mr. Borovetz ? (motions for him to approach the bench) All I ask from you is a very simple answer to a very simple question. There are only two ways to answer it: guilty or not guilty.

Vinny: But your honor, my client didn't do anything, just listen to the podcast ....

Judge Haller: Once again, the communication process is broken down. It appears to me that you want to skip the arraignment process, go directly to trial, skip that, and get a dismissal. Well, I'm not about to revamp the entire judicial process just because you find yourself in the unique position of defending clients who say they didn't do it. The next words out of your mouth better be "guilty" or "not guilty." I don't want to hear commentary, argument, or opinion. If I hear anything other than "guilty" or "not guilty", you'll be in contempt. I don't even want to hear you clear your throat. Now, (enunciating) how do your clients plead?

Vinny: (enunciating) I think I get the point.

Judge Haller: No, I don't think you do. You're now in contempt of court. Would you like to go for two counts of contempt?

Vinny: Not guilty.

Judge Haller: Thank you.

...

Mike: Maybe if you put up some kind of a fight, you could have gotten the case thrown out!

Vinny: Hey, Mikey . You're in North-fu**ing-Carolina. You come from New York. You scammed 5 good ole boys on the same day and got arrested again after you made bond on the first four. There is NO WAY this is not going to trial.

I wonder what the percentage of people who post on twoplustwo who have been arrested compared to the overall number of poster is.

Unites States: 1 in every 31 adults, or 3.2%
Football: One N.F.L. player in 40 is arrested in a given year. 15 years that the USA Today data goes back, the 713 arrests mean that 2.53 percent of players have had a serious run-in with the law in an average year.

Think twoplustwo has a higher percentage than the above?

Sad. Tough to find complete sympathy, being that his actions have duped and negatively effected others.

Any guess's why he was in Charlotte? I don't remember Charlotte as being a city from all his previous stops...

Yeah man so much entertainment value in watching random innocent victims fall prey to this scumbags scheming antics.. wtf is wrong with people?

I would recommend reading more than just an OP when replying to a thread.
I would also recommend post 4.

What's the over/under on the first idiotic "Stay Strong Mike" comment and bogus Mike accounts defending Mike to pop up?

I forgot about that from the first thread. You know, you may have just encouraged people to start it up again. Hope not.

I wonder if he faces real jail time. Any ideas? I'm a few credits short of my law degree...

Certainly nice for him; not so good for poker ecosystem which allegedly is the main purpose of his podcasts.

Roughly half the states in the US have some form of three strikes law.

I wonder if his 2+2 posts will be used for/against him ? Damn . . .

Truly sad. He has no hope. Sad on a human level.

I think its obvious Mike didn't stay strong. Maybe some how he can get the help he needs and turn his life around.....but, as the saying goes you got to want to help yourself first.

Agreed. There are plenty of tragedies in the world that are objectively a much bigger miscarriage of karmic justice than this, but you don't often get to observe the slow but inevitable degeneration of a human being into a biological waste.

This may well be the worst scam of all time. I´m seriously amazed that some people fall for it. I mean, look at the guy. How on earth would he get a job interview for ANYTHING that involves flying across the country? I´d probably give him a cheeseburger or two because looking at him makes me feel bad, but lol @ handing money to this kind of degenerate (and you don´t even need to know any kind of back ground on him to realize this).

I wonder if his 20 year streak of not being laid has ended recently??

His level of dedication to his craft is unparalleled. No one in the history of the world has airport scammed harder than Borovetz.

I give him credit. Most people who get arrested 3 times in 48 hours would call it quits, but he's fully committed to the scam. If I ever see him, i'll give him $.

His recidivism explained: he decided to run his scam on the cops as he was leaving the police station each time.

I think Mike's openness on this forum and in podcasts is coming back to haunt him. I doubt it would've opened the six o'clock news if not for the audio clip, and I would imagine there is now more incentive for prosecutors to follow up on the case and make sure Mike "pays for his crimes".

And two slightly different poses.