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Poker Business Fails To Pay

It was supposed to be a fun night for a good cause.  But now those who fundraised for a non-profit agency wonder if they were dealt a losing hand.

On March 29^th, Salina resident Tod Roberg traveled to Wichita to play in a charity poker tournament.  The "Caring Hearts Texas Hold-Em Tournament" was supposed to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.   A business called Wichita Charitable Events was hired to put on the tournament.  The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society would get a portion of the proceeds. 

The two top prizes for the night were seats in a World Series of Poker event in Las Vegas.  Roberg won and was excited to collect his prize.  Roberg says he talked with Wichita Charitable Events owner Rickey Hicks the night of the tournament.

"I didn't give it any doubt that there would be a problem," said Roberg.

But when Roberg tried to contact Hicks days later, it was a different story. 

"Basically, he couldn't get the money," said Roberg. 

He's not the only one who feels cheated.  Janet Cervantes fundraised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

"We've never seen a dime," said Cervantes. 

Wichita Charitable Events collected thousands of dollars in tournament money that night.  Besides the charity not getting paid and the winners not receiving prizes, the check for renting the tournament facility bounced.  Wichita Charitable Events owes Beech Activity Center more than $2400. 

"Everybody in this situation has been ripped off," said Cervantes.

We tracked down Hicks who declined to do an on-camera interview with us.  He did sit down with us and explain the situation from his perspective.  He says he explained to the charity there weren't enough people registered for the poker tournament to make any money.  He says the cash that did come in was only enough to pay for his expenses.   

He showed us his calculations which included payment to Beech Activity Center and to the two poker winners.  But since those hadn't been paid, we wanted to know where the money was?

"It's in my bank account," said Hicks.  But he assured us Beech and the poker players would be paid. 

We gave Hicks time to get the situation straighten out.  But now more than two months later, the debts remain unpaid. 

"We can't get this guy to even answer the question of where the money is and what have you done with it?" said Cervantes.  "No one wins."

Hicks did not respond to a follow-up phone call requesting an update for this story.  The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society says it promised the winners seats in Vegas.  The non-profit paid the entry fees after Wichita Charitable Events failed to do so.