A man
scheduled to be sentenced for masterminding an illegal investment
scheme worth more than $1 million went to Las Vegas instead to play
Texas Holdem poker, according to a published report.
Superior Court Judge James N.
Citta issued a bench warrant Friday for Brian Strahl, 29, of Staten
Island. Citta called Strahl "a degenerate gambler."
Strahl was scheduled to be
sentenced Friday, but faxed Citta from Las Vegas to say he was playing
in the World Series of Poker to win money to make restitution to his
victims. The letter said he had made $5,000 so far.
Deputy State Attorney
General Rodger J. Wolf told the Asbury Park Press of Neptune that
sentencing dates for Strahl and co-defendant Ilya Fikher of Brooklyn
had been adjourned in the past so the two men could try to come up
with more funds for restitution.
But the defendants had
appeared in court to request the adjournments on those occasions, Wolf
said.
Strahl's lawyer, Michael
Chazen, said his client attempted to return from Las Vegas Friday, but
misplaced his ID and was not allowed on board his flight.
In the letter Strahl faxed
to Citta, he said he planned to take a train that would arrive on the
East Coast on Monday. Citta adjourned Strahl's sentencing to July 16.
Strahl pleaded guilty last
year to money laundering and admitted he and Fikher solicited
investments in a nonexistent company. Investors were bilked out of
$1.8 million.
