PokerArena recently reported on a series of articles by the Czech newspaper Pravo that detailed a number of kidnappings committed by an organized crime gang. Seven members of a gang were recently arrested and face numerous charges for their roles in the alleged crimes. The boss of said group is allegedly Michael Svab, who was also charged with kidnapping in 2005, but was eventually acquitted.

Before we get to the 2011 World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up Martin Staszko‘s (pictured) role in this bizarre tale, let’s illustrate how this gang works. In July 2011, the gang got in touch with a wealthy philanthropist and yachting enthusiast and convinced him to meet a man named Robert Kelner in Valencia.

Kelner’s family was supposedly experiencing a great tragedy, the emotion of which spurred him to want to donate a sizable amount of money to charity. Of course, the story was a ruse and Kelner was actually Michael Svab. Rather than meeting in Valencia, the victim was somehow convinced to meet at an apartment, where he was held hostage for six days before coughing up $2 million.

That’s the gang’s modus operandi. It tugs at the heartstrings of rich people and persuades them to meet at some fancy, exciting location where another rich person is ready to cut them a large check. The meeting ends up getting diverted to somewhere else the gang can control and the mark gets kidnapped and held for ransom.

Enter Martin Staszko, who became a hero in the Czech Republic after bursting into the poker spotlight with a $5.4 million score in the WSOP Main Event in November 2011. Svab certainly took notice of Staszko’s success and contacted Milan Slama, then Chairman of the Czech Poker Association, apparently to get an introduction to Staszko.

The yarn this time was that Svab, as Kelner,wanted to give his father the special birthday gift of a private poker game with the Czech star. A trip on a private jet and a healthy appearance fee were offered to sweeten the deal.

Slama, though, smelled a rat. The offer was declined and Staszko unknowingly avoided potential disaster. Unfortunately, not all of the group’s marks were so lucky. As mentioned, some were kidnapped and released after a ransom was paid. Two, though, are suspected to have been murdered.

This is one of the more amazing tales of a poker player being the target of a crime as the result of his notoriety, but it was not the first and not likely to be the last. Here are some other notable incidents involving poker players:

2004 – That year’s WSOP Main Event champ,Greg Raymer (pictured), was attacked by two men outside his hotel room at the Bellagio while he was carrying $150,000. They attempted to force him into his room, but he fought them off and forced them to run away. They were apprehended a few months later.

2006 – “Amarillo Slim” Preston was shot at while on his way home one night. A man cut him off with his car and demanded money at gunpoint. After refusing, Preston floored it in reverse, only to be shot at three times. He escaped unharmed, though his car did catch a couple of bullets.

2007 – Just a few months after the car incident, Preston was ambushed in his home by two armed men. He was stripped, tied up, and had a gun stuck into his belly. In classic cowboy style, Preston told him, “Pull the trigger on that damn thing or put it down.” The trigger was not pulled, but the men got away with guns, cash, and a valuable belt buckle.

2010 – WSOP bracelet winner and 2008 WSOP Main Event fifth place finisher Scott Montgomerywas mugged in the bathroom of the Bellagio. A man wielding a knife absconded with $2,000.

2011 – Jonathan Duhamel was tied up and beatenin his home by two men who stole thousands of Dollars and Euros in cash, his 2010 WSOP Main Event bracelet, and a custom Rolex given to him by PokerStars. His ex-girlfriend was later found to have been the mastermind behind the plot. Duhamel is pictured shortly after the incident.

2012 – Sam Trickett was attacked after leaving a Las Vegas club hours after placing second in the Big One for One Drop at the WSOP, where he won $10 million.

2012 – In another home invasion, Theo Jorgensen was shot three times in the leg by men looking to relieve him of any gambling winnings he had in his house.

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