The Hustler Casino Live regular was allegedly scammed by someone at Diamond Sportsbook
High-stakes poker player and vlogger Ethan “Rampage” Yau recently revealed that he was scammed out of a significant amount of money, naming the individual responsible as Neema Khazaie, a representative for Diamond Sportsbook. According to Yau, Khazaie allegedly failed to pay out his winnings after accepting multiple deposits during a prolonged losing streak, only to later cut off payments when Yau finally started winning.
Scammer of 2024 *repost*
Neema Khazaie of Sherman Oaks, CA
Throughout year I attempted to experiment with sports betting again. Shameful to admit, I’ve silently lost over $600K making poor decisions. The bookie I bet through the most and collected at least $300K from me, Neema…
— Rampage (@rampagepoker) November 12, 2024
Yau, known for his swift rise from low-stakes games to prominent appearances on shows like Hustler Casino Live, detailed his experience in an X post, expressing frustration over the betrayal. After months of losses, during which Khazaie reportedly provided excellent service, Yau hit a profitable streak, earning approximately $30,000 in winnings. However, when he attempted to withdraw some funds in early October, he encountered repeated excuses, leading him to suspect something was amiss.
Despite his account showing a significant balance—totaling around $138,000, with $80,000 from his own deposits—Yau’s requests for a withdrawal went unanswered. Text messages later shared by Yau showed Khazaie acknowledging the outstanding balance, even proposing a partial payout of $30,000 to $40,000. However, the funds never materialized, leaving Yau without his earnings and struggling to trust those he had relied on.
This incident is not the first time Yau has faced challenges in his poker career. Earlier this year, he suffered a considerable downswing, prompting him to withdraw from a high-stakes event. Despite these setbacks, Yau has also achieved impressive victories, such as winning a World Series of Poker bracelet and accumulating over $2.8 million in live tournament earnings over the past three years.
While Yau continues to shine in the poker world, this latest experience is a sobering reminder of the risks involved in gambling and sports betting, especially when dealing with unregulated agents.
