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JUSTICE : Japanese poker champion framed in a sting at Roissy?
2025-02-28 - RICHARD Fabien
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A poker jackpot, a stopover at Roissy, a heist worthy of a film... and customs officers suspected of complicity. The whole affair takes an explosive turn.

Hard to imagine such a scenario outside of a crime novel. A Japanese poker champion, a jackpot of 150,000 euros in cash, and an ambush at Roissy airport. Yet, this is no fiction: the investigation reveals unexpected ramifications involving two customs officers.

 

A victory… and a target on his back

 

 

Last September, this 24-year-old Japanese poker prodigy secured one of the biggest winnings of his career by finishing third in a major European tournament. With over $160,000 in his pocket, he left Spain and made a stopover in France before heading back to Japan. But he made a mistake: he failed to properly declare the amount he was carrying.

At Roissy, the money was seized by customs. A standard procedure, but one that would soon turn into a nightmare. A few weeks later, when he returned to France to retrieve his cash, a trap was waiting for him.

The ambush unfolded in just a few minutes. As soon as the player collected his money, he got into an Uber to reach his flight at Terminal 1. But on the way, a gang of criminals intercepted him: three men blocked the vehicle, while two others appeared on scooters, guns in hand.

The robbers wasted no time. They smashed the windows, sprayed the victim and his driver with gas, then snatched a bag containing part of the jackpot before vanishing. Fortunately for him, the player had hidden the rest of the cash on his person.

This organized heist raises a critical question: how did the robbers know exactly when and where to strike? The investigation, led by the judicial police of Seine-Saint-Denis, quickly uncovered potential complicities within the airport itself.

On February 12, a dramatic twist: two female customs officers were taken into custody, suspected of informing the robbers. One worked in the taxes and duties service at Roissy, the other was stationed in Seine-Saint-Denis. According to investigators, they may have provided crucial details about the exact time the player would retrieve his money.

With three suspects already indicted, the case may not end here. Have other travelers fallen victim to a similar scheme? According to multiple sources, this wouldn’t be the first time a money transfer at Roissy has turned into a heist.

The investigation is ongoing, while the two customs officers remain under judicial supervision. As for the poker champion, he has returned to Japan with a valuable lesson: in both poker and life, everything is a matter of bluffing… and vigilance.

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