Robbi Jade Lew Cheating Scandal: Embroiled Hustler Live Staffer Evades Arrest

Posted on: October 31, 2022, 09:55h. 

Last updated on: October 31, 2022, 08:24h.

Philip Conneller @casinoorgphilc Read More
Expertise: Gaming Business, Regulation, Tribal Gaming.

A former employee of the “Hustler Casino Live” poker stream caught up in a notorious cheating scandal has reportedly absconded from justice.

Robbi Jade
Robbi Jade Lew initially declined to press charges against Brian Sagbigsal, who was found to have stolen $15K in chips from her. (Image: Hustler Casino Live)

Police in Gardena, Calif., attempted to arrest Bryan Sagbigsal last week, but were unable to find the 24-year-old despite an all-day search, The LA Times reports. Sagbigsal is accused of stealing $15K in casino chips from poker player Robbi Jade Lew, who herself has been accused of cheating. It is unclear whether Gardena Police have since located Sagbigsal.

Sagbigsal worked behind the scenes during the infamous live poker stream in which longtime pro Garret Adelson claimed he had been cheated by Lew.

In the hand that caused the controversy, Adelstein, holding 7c 8c, moved all-in on the turn on a 10h, 10c, 9c, 3h board with an open-ended straight flush draw. Lew called with Jc 4d to win the hand, despite having to put in an extra $109K. Yes, that’s real money.

‘Impossible’ Play

To many observers, including Adelstein, the call was “impossible” unless Lew had assistance from someone with access to the hidden cards.

It’s a scenario that’s played out before in a live stream in the Mike Postle cheating saga. In 2021, 90 poker players sued fellow player Postle, claiming that a member of the production staff with access to the hole cards was signaling to Postle at the Stones Gambling Hall, another California card room.

Lew’s call was so suspicious because her jack-high was actually losing to most of Adelstein’s possible bluffs. She couldn’t reasonably expect to win, unless, as her detractors believe, she knew his exact holding.

Others were more generous, noting that Lew is a novice player who may have simply made a mistake, believing perhaps that she had J-3 and was making a “hero call” with bottom pair.

Lew’s behavior afterward was also suspicious. She changed her story multiple times when trying to explain what had happened in the hand. It’s possible that she merely felt foolish and was trying to find a story that fit while making her “mistake” seem more reasonable.

She also offered to give the chips back to Adelstein, which many in the poker community interpreted as a sign of a guilty conscience.

Mystery Deepens

The story took a new twist when Sagbigsal was found stealing Lew’s chips. Was he a co-conspirator who was taking his cut? Or merely an opportunist caught mid-crime?

Lew’s initial decision not to press charges was seen as further proof of guilt by many in the poker community, who also noted she followed Sagbigsal on Instagram. Aware of the bad optics, she changed her mind, sending the Gardena Police Department to his door.

With all this unfolding in real-time on social media, Sagbigsal had plenty of time to make himself scarce.