Suspected Murderer Denied Casino Winnings
A popular Canadian casino has been drawn in to a rather gruesome case after it was ordered by the police not to release money to a suspected murderer.
River Rock Casino was asked by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to withhold $364,000 in winnings that are owed to Sophon Sek, who was charged with manslaughter.
The murder of six people, known as the Surrey Six, took place in 2007 and Sek was arrested on Monday as the primary suspect in this case.
Only a day prior to his arrest, Sek won the money at River Rock Casino in a poker tournament and had been awarded a claim ticket.
However, following his arrest, the police requested that the casino withhold payment if he makes bail.
A spokesperson for the casino confirmed that management had been requested to "withhold the funds, at this time."
Sek's attorneys are up in arms over the request, claiming that since the country has a judicial policy of 'innocent until proven guilty', the police are not entitled, by law, to request the casino to stop payment.
"We do have due process in this country and police can't just go about seizing money because they say you are a bad guy," said Alan Ip, an attorney representing Sek.
"I am interested to see what grounds they have to justify this," said Ip, referring to the police's claim that they will soon serve the British Columbia Corporation with papers that justify the funds seizure. "I don't think they can, and I expect Mr. Sek to be getting his money back that he won fair and square."
The 30 year old Sek won the money after cashing in $374,364 in the British Columbia Poker Championships that took place at the casino over the weekend.
