Alleged Poker Tournament Chip Counterfeiter Gets Five Years For DVD PiratingChristian Lusardi Must Also Pay $1.1 Million In Fines |
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Christian Patrick Lusardi, the man who allegedly used counterfeit chips in a poker tournament at Borgata last year, has been sentenced to five years in prison for pirating DVDs, according to WRAL.com.
The 43-year-old pleaded guilty in September to copyright infringement and trafficking in counterfeit labels and must also pay $1.1 million in penalties.
Police said they found 35,000 pirated DVDs, along with equipment such as DVD burners and packaging equipment at his North Carolina home. Though he was a person of interest to police in 2012, authorities uncovered the extent of the DVD pirating after the Borgata incident.
According to a piece penned by East Coast-based attorney Maurice VerStandig, it’s not clear if Lusardi will face punishment for his alleged actions in the Borgata tournament given the guilty plea, and sentence, to the federal charges. It might happen one day, however.
“Could he have negotiated a dismissal of the state charges in exchange for his federal plea? Absolutely,” VerStandig said. “Is it odd that he [pleaded] guilty to both counts with which he was charged in federal court? Somewhat. Does this suggest federal and state prosecutors cooperated? Maybe. But is any of this a certainty? Absolutely not.”
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