Police search house of poker winner of WSOP

San Antonio police Tuesday night searched a home owned by Richard Lee, the recent winner of nearly $3 million at the World Series of Poker, for evidence of an extensive illegal Internet gambling operation.

"This operation is the largest here in San Antonio," said police spokesman Joe Rios, who confirmed the search warrant was served on a Shavano Park home in the 100 block of Geddington Street.

According to Bexar County Appraisal District tax records, the home belongs to a Richard Lee, who TV reports and a police source said is the same Richard Lee that placed sixth at the World Series of Poker three weeks ago.

Police have investigated the home for months, Rios said, before procuring enough evidence to secure the search warrant.

Inside the home, they found dozens of receipts for deposits on payouts from gambling proceeds, Rios said.

"We're talking payouts well over $500,000," he said. "It was a pretty well-oiled machine they were running out here."

Although one of several houses searched, Rios called the home owned by Lee the "brains or the nerve center of the operation."

A money-counting machine; five Lexus cars, including two sports utility vehicles and three sedans; multiple plasma-screen TVs; and a large amount of cash were seized, he said.

No one was arrested, Rios said, "although now that we have found the evidence, we can move forward."

News Added: 30 August, 2006

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