Adam Lulat managed to outlast a field of 241 players in the recent 2018 Grosvenor United Kingdom Poker Tour Manchester main event to win just over £68,000, only to find that his winnings are now being sought after by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

The poker event took place back in March at the Grosvenor Casino in Manchester, where Lulat managed to have the chip lead entering into final table play and defeated Gary Whitehead during the heads-up round to claim the first place prize. Now, six months after the win, the British tax collector has issued a court order for all the money to be repaid based on a crime committed in 2010 and 2011.

Time to Pay Up:

In September 2015, Lulat pled guilty to money laundering and was handed a 28-month prison sentence for being part of a laundering scheme involving £40 million. Along with his co-defendants, Lulat was ordered to repay a total of £590,000 that was admitted stolen. At the time, it was found that Lulat did not have any money to make the payment or assets that could be seized. He eventually paid just £1.

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According to Cards Chat…

Once it was found out that he had won the large sum during the poker event, the court increased the amount he had to pay to £71,770. This amount accounted for the prize won during the event as well as £2,840 that was in his bank account. If the amount is not paid in three months’ time, Lulat will face 15 months in prison.

Facing the Consequences:

The scheme that the poker player was found to be involved in took place from September of 2010 until November of the next year. Lulat along with the other individuals found guilty in the case, were fabricating businesses to make fraudulent VAT repayment claims against several European Union states by using a complex web of transactions.