Woman arrested for ‘stealing $1M, gambling chips and jewels from poker champion Antonio Esfandiari’
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A woman has been arrested on suspicion of stealing approximately $1million in valuables, including hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of gambling chips and numerous pieces of expensive jewelry from poker champion Antonio Esfandiari and his father.
The Las Vegas player and his dad Bejan Esfandiari returned home from a trip to California on July 13 and found $150,000 in cash as well as $300,000 to $500,000 in poker chips missing from a safe.
They claim Arizona woman Svitlana Silva, 46, broke into the home while they were away and bagged items including a platinum Diamond bracelet valued at $350,000, numerous designer watches valued between $2,000 and $35,000 apiece and gold carry-on suitcase.
The men reported the break-in on July 14 but on August 22 alerted cops about a poker tournament she had been involved in a few days prior on August 19.
Svitlana Silva, 46, is accused of burglary after approximately $1million in valuables went missing from the home of a poker champion and his dad in July
Poker champion Antonio Esfandiari and his father Bejan noticed items missing while they were away in July
Silva allegedly lost several rounds in the games where she bought in for $5,000, then $20,000 and twice for $30,000.
She later returned with a safe containing $300,000 in chips from Aria and the Bellagio, according to a police report.
Silva lost $100,000 in Aria chips but won after buying in with $200,000 of Bellagio chips according to police.
After winning that round she cashed out of the game but later tried to buy back some of the chips she’d lost earlier.
Although the winner refused, Silva allegedly text messaged them afterward writing: ‘Hey, forgot to tell you my chips has special mark on computer so if it’s stolen they can’t cash out.’
It’s unclear who shared the details of Silva’s alleged actions during the tournament.
Silva – whose husband and son live in Arizona – splits her time between the state and Nevada. Her Facebook profile states that she works at The Orleans Hotel and Casino, the World Series Poker Game and studied computer engineering in the Ukraine.
In 2012, Iranian born Antonio Esfandiari, 41, won $18million in the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop – the second largest single amount win in the tournament’s history. Esfandiari accuses Silva of taking numerous designer watches valued between $2,000 and $35,000 apiece. He is pictured right in 2005
Bejan Esfandiari told police that she lived with him at the condo (pictured) on-and-off for several months and may have learned the passcode to his safe because it’s similar to that of his bedroom lock, phone and iPad, which he has let her use
In 2012, Iranian born Antonio Esfandiari, 41, won $18million in the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop – the second largest single amount win in the tournament’s history.
Bejan Esfandiari told police that she lived with him on-and-off for several months and may have learned the passcode to his safe because it’s similar to that of his bedroom lock, phone and iPad, which he has let her use.
Among the missing items is a Aerofusion Hublot watch valued at $35,000, Cartier watch valued at $6,000, Gucci Silver watch valued at $2,000 and Patek-Phillippe watch valued at $7,000.
Bejan said she had a key to the condo but Silva claims she returned the key. She allegedly admitted to police that she knew where a spare key could be found.
Police claim Silva has changed her story about the alleged burglary and theft.
Cops said she initially told them she had the chips for several years but later said another man stole the chips from the safe and a friend gave her the chips.
Silva’s husband told police she got the chips from a safe belonging to one of the men.
Silva was arrested in the parking lot of Aria on August 22 and had $25,000 in Aria chips and the same amount in Bellagio chips on her.
She was booked into Clark County Detention Center 22 on charges of burglary and possession of stolen property under the value of $100,000.
Silva has since been released on bail.
She’s scheduled to appear in court in October.
Her Facebook profile states that she works at The Orleans Hotel and Casino, the World Series Poker Game and studied computer engineering in the Ukraine
The men told police $300,000 to $500,000 in poker chips went missing from a safe. Silva was arrested in the parking lot of Aria on August 22 and had $25,000 in Aria chips and the same amount in Bellagio chips on her. File image
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