British Columbia Poker Champion charged with manslaughter

British Columbia Poker Champion charged with manslaughter

Wednesday, 25 November 2009

The winner of last week’s British Columbia Poker Championship, Sophon Sek, has been arrested in connection with one of the worst gang related incidents in the Canadian province’s history.

Six people, four suspected gang members and two innocent bystanders, were killed in the so-called Surrey Six Slaughter in 2007. Sek, who appeared in court yesterday, has been charged with manslaughter and breaking and entering. He was remanded in custody with the trial set to continue on 30th November.


Earlier this week Sek outlasted a field of 680 players, including Gavin Smith, Brad Booth, Liz Lieu and Greg Mueller, to win one of the biggest events on the Canadian poker circuit. Howard Blank, spokesman for the River Rock Casino near Vancouver that hosted the event confirmed that Sek wouldn’t be getting his $364,364 first prize saying, “The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have asked us to have his money held, so he has not received payment."


Speaking in The Globe and Mail, Sek lawyer Alan Ip said, “Mr Sek is obviously very shocked that he has been implicated in this and expects to be exonerated.”


Sek is the sixth man to be charged in relation to the case.



Tags: Poker News, British, Columbia, Poker, Champion, charged, with, manslaughter