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The Borgata in Atlantic City, where a man was caught cheating in a January poker tournament. Six players have sued the casino seeking prize money.

(Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger)



ATLANTIC CITY — Six poker players sued an Atlantic City casino over prize money not paid when a tournament was canceled earlier this year after a competitor was found using counterfeit chips.

The six, including one New Jersey resident, field the suit Tuesday in Superior Court in Atlantic County. They are asking for $33,756.44 apiece from the Borgata, which ended its winter tournament when it found that a man tried to play with fake chips, according to a report on PressofAtlanticCity.com.

It's the second suit filed in connection with the canceled tournament, which had 27 players left from a starting field of more than 4,800 when it was called off.

If the remaining competitors had been allowed to split the $1.43 million in prize money, each would have received $53,079.44.

Instead, the Borgata only gave them $19,323. The six are asking for the difference as well as lawyer fees.

Christian Lusardi, of Fayetteville, N.C., was arrested days after the tournament was canceled at a motel in Atlantic City. He was charged wit theft and rigging a public contest.

A state investigation has cleared the Borgata of wrongdoing.

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