If you are a poker blogger/reporter hired to cover a good-sized tournament at a major land casino, probably creating a move ahead the dealer’s tip package is not your decision that is best ever. Apparently, not everybody grasps that reality, and now from the ‘what were you thinking’ files comes news that 41-year-old probably-not-anymore poker writer Jay Newnum has received probation for stealing almost $700 while covering a Foxwoods casino poker tourney on December 16 of last year.

One from Column A

The Fishers, Indiana writer evidently returned the stolen funds taken from the tip box reportedly snatched up using chopsticks, a visual we find pretty amusing during a Mega Stack Challenge $600 No-Limit Texas Hold’em tournament held at the Mashantucket that is popular casino.

Newnum are permitted to participate in something called ‘accelerated rehabilitation,’ a state court system that will wipe his record clean through the probation period without using chopsticks on anything but chow mein and moo goo gai pan if he makes it. Newnum dodged a bullet using this sentencing, as this Class B misdemeanor could have brought a maximum of six months in jail along with up to $1,000 in punitive fines.

Despite the incident occurring back in mid-December, there was nothing official released about the case from Connecticut authorities until late week that is last.

Keeping Quiet

Newnum himself has been pretty mum about the whole situation; perhaps not that that should surprise anybody. a blog that is somewhat cryptic on his whojedi page makes reference to dealer’s union president Billy Shea, who reportedly had been the object of personal attacks after discussing the theft in his own website posts. The culprit is apparently under some type or kind indian dreaming pokie machine pay table of gag order whether self-inflicted or on advice of counsel, who knows but posted on his blog that he will ‘step far from the poker world indefinitely.’

Probably a wise move, since we doubt he’s going to secure much work from now on; he’s already been banned indefinitely from establishing foot in Foxwoods again.

Newnum’s vague comments concerning the incident shed no light on how someone who obviously has spent plenty of time in casinos wouldn’t realize that the theft that is petty be caught on eye-in-the-sky cameras, making it pretty hard to deny his wrongdoing.

In their last web log commentary in the matter, he expressed ongoing help for the poker community he will no much longer become a part of:

‘Yesterday, I called Billy [Shea, dealer's union president] personally. We spoke at length, not in what he had posted, but instead concerning the reactions from the city. I hold no ill will against him, as he just did exactly what he felt he needed to do as union president. It was a great conversation with Billy and I do appreciate him taking the time for you to speak with me. I’ve spent a ten years included in the poker community, and have undoubtedly come to understand this game and the grouped category of people inside it.

‘That being said, it seems for the best that I step away from the poker world indefinitely. I do want to give you thanks to my family and my friends, both outside and inside of poker, whom have been incredibly supportive during this time. Finally, even though I won’t be a part of the poker world for the time being, I’ll be rooting for the industry to continue to grow, expand, and improve, in all the ways that we know it can.’

Newnum ended up being one of about 21 poker professionals featured as an interviewee in the film Bet Raise Fold, a poker documentary billed as ‘the story of online poker’ that debuted in mid-2013. Friday it follows the rise and fall of online poker pros, from the industry’s inception to the crash of Black. Besides Newnum, many industry heavy hitters luminaries such as Daniel Negreanu, Greg Raymer, Tom Dwan and Tony Dunst are featured, with additional commentary from poker insiders, scientists and writers like Newnum.

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