Pro poker player Daniel Demissie is still working to clear his name and reputation
Daniel Demissie, a professional poker player from Atlantic City, has taken legal action against Caesars Entertainment and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) following what he claims was a wrongful arrest at Caesars-owned Flamingo in 2023. He argues that the incident not only led to an unjustified stay in jail but also triggered an extensive law enforcement operation that damaged his reputation and well-being.
Demissie, 48, was in Las Vegas that summer to play cash games during the World Series of Poker. On June 17, he was at Flamingo engaging in advantage slot play when LVMPD officers approached him. He was arrested and taken to the Clark County Detention Center, where he spent 30 hours in a group cell.
The poker player maintains that he was never properly informed of the charges against him. The arrest was linked to eight slot machine vouchers he had in his possession, which officers allegedly assumed were stolen. The charges were later dropped, but by then, the damage had been done.
As a result of the arrest, Demissie was banned from the Las Vegas Strip and added to a court database typically reserved for repeat offenders involved in drug or prostitution-related crimes. This classification led to a federal sting operation in which he was subjected to ongoing surveillance and what he describes as entrapment attempts. He claims this unjust scrutiny caused severe emotional distress and lasting harm.
The lawsuit, filed in March in a Nevada court, accuses LVMPD detectives of fabricating evidence and violating his constitutional rights. Demissie is seeking $12.5 million in damages and is also challenging a Nevada fraud statute, arguing that it is overly vague and unfairly applied. His legal action names not only the police and Caesars but also Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford and a security manager from Flamingo.
Demissie, who has played poker for two decades, says his primary goal is to clear his record and prevent similar incidents from happening to others. He wants his arrest history, fingerprints, and DNA records expunged, asserting that he was unfairly targeted and mistreated. Neither Caesars Entertainment nor LVMPD has commented on the lawsuit.
