Poker Professional George Janssen Receives Three-Year Prison Sentence

(AsiaGameHub) –   George Janssen, a Michigan poker professional and four-time WSOP Circuit ring winner, has been sentenced to three years in prison, along with three years of supervised release, for his involvement in a $4 million auto loan scheme. He is also mandated to pay nearly a million dollars in restitution to his victims.

Janssen Faces Three-Year Prison Term

Janssen had previously attempted to link his auto loan scheme to a supposed kidnapping he asserted he endured. While the player was discovered zip-tied by a Michigan roadside two years prior, alleging extortion by mobsters, subsequent investigations concluded that the incident was likely a fabrication by Janssen designed to evade accountability.

Despite not being charged with falsely reporting a crime, Janssen ultimately pleaded guilty to the auto loan scheme, which defrauded nearly a dozen financial institutions of $4 million. This fraudulent activity involved Janssen and his associates cashing more than $3.93 million in illicit auto loan checks.

Janssen’s legal counsel attributed the scheme to financial hardships stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining that the player had always planned to repay the funds.

As reported by PokerNews, the player has now received an official sentence of 36 months in prison, in addition to 3 years of supervised release. He is also obligated to pay $908,235 in restitution to those affected.

Janssen Receives Reduced Sentence, Though Less Than Requested

The defendant recently petitioned the court for a reduced sentence of just 24 months, stating his intention to earn the restitution money through poker. Janssen’s attorney highlighted the player’s demonstrated ability to profit from poker, arguing that an earlier release would facilitate his efforts to accumulate these funds.

The defense further argued that a more lenient sentence would enable the player to reunite with his family sooner. The attorney stressed that a four-year prison term for Janssen “will help nobody.”

To provide context, the minimum sentencing guideline stood at 51 months. Consequently, the 36-month sentence Janssen received appears to be a compromise between his requested 24 months and the recommended 51 months.