Judge Sides with Mike Postle and Tosses $10 Million Civil Case

June 5th, 2020 | by Kaycee James

Those accusing Mike Postle of cheating in cash games at Stones Gambling Hall were dealt a blow this week by US District Judge William B. Shubb.

Veronica Brill (pictured) has criticized the decision to dismiss a $10 million civil claim against alleged poker cheat Mike Postle. (Image: YouTube/Wayne Chiang Poker)

The ruling by Shubb means the $10 million lawsuit filed by Veronica Brill has been dismissed.

Siding with Postle and Stones Gambling Hall, the Californian judge said the case couldn’t be heard due to the state’s position on gambling disputes.

Mike Postle Strategy Raises Suspicion

The Mike Postle cheating scandal was one of 2019’s biggest stories. Now, however, it could end up becoming one of 2020’s most contentious tales.

The civil claim centers on allegations that Postle was able to cheat during cash games at Stones Gambling Hall. The presumption is that Postle was in cahoots with certain employees who had access to footage from the casino’s live streams.

Fueling the accusations is the seemingly impossible 94% win rate Postle was able to achieve in games that were streamed online. This, combined with what describe as reckless moves, prompted Brill to file a lawsuit.

With the help of lawyer and poker player Mac VerStandig, a $10 million civil claim was made on behalf of 88 plaintiffs. However, after reviewing the case, Judge Shubb was forced to dismiss it.

“California’s strong public policy against judicial resolution of civil claims arising out of gambling disputes mandates the dismissal with prejudice of plaintiff’s claims against Postle for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, negligence per se, and unjust enrichment,” Shubb wrote.

The poker community quickly criticized the decision, calling it “complete b******t.” Brill joined the chorus of disapproval with her own tweet.

Just letting the poker community know that if you decide to cheat on a live stream you are free to do so. There will be no accountability for your actions and you are free to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars. The casino, and employees who might help you, are not accountable
— Veronica BLM (@Angry_Polak) June 3, 2020

VerStandig Will Not Fold

Despite being dealt a disappointing blow, VerStandig reassured his clients that this isn’t the end. With 20 days to amend the lawsuit, he’ll now refocus the claim and move forward against Stones Gambling Hall.

“Y’all realize we’re going to amend and go forward against Stones, right? Reports of the case’s death are greatly exaggerated,” the legal expert tweeted.

The Mike Postle cheating case was never going to be simple. Courts are often reluctant to intervene in gambling disputes. Moreover, the accused has denied any wrongdoing from the start.

Add to this a general lack of understanding about how poker works and the deck is certainly stacked against Brill et al.