Missing with $10k
Japanese poker player Yuto Moriyasu has been missing in Las Vegas since July 2, complete with his $10k buy-in for the World Series of Poker Main Event.
time is critical”
Moriyasu’s family have reached out for help on social media, stating the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department have started an investigation and that “time is critical.”
A post on X by a user whose relation to Moriyasu was unclear, posted an “urgent missing persons report” on Tuesday:
The user, @VegasPokerMama, also referenced the original plea for help from Nobuaki Sasaki ‘Sasa,’ a Japanese poker pro staying with Moriyasu at the Airbnb where he disappeared from on July 2.
According to the posts, Moriyasu’s possessions, which included his mobile phone, shoes, suitcase, and rental car, were all left behind at the Airbnb in Spring Valley.
Fears grow
Sasa stated, however, that his friend’s passport and wallet were missing, the latter allegedly holding his $10k buy-in cash. According to reports, Moriyasu had booked the Airbnb for the WSOP event and planned to return to Japan on July 19.
Metro “currently checking places like hospitals”
His colleague stated there is no record of Moriyasu having entered Japan over the past few days, while Metro is “currently checking places like hospitals and detention centers where there might be leads.”
Moriyasu’s last text message to his friend on July 2 was: “I just got home, I’m heading out now.”
According to a poker media source, Moriyasu had been playing poker since his arrival in Las Vegas on May 25, with his “only recorded cashes coming from three $150 buy-in ‘Late Night’ events.” Moriyasu had planned to enter the WSOP Main Event but failed to show up for either the starting flights or late registration.
Sasa urged people in the poker community with any information on his friend to “please let me know anything at all.”
Shades of Brad Booth
Sasa’s plea echoes with that of US poker pro Adam Schwartz, who took to X in 2020 to ask for help in finding former highstakes pro Brad Booth, who went missing for two months from his home in Reno, Nevada.
“Sometimes in life you just have to take a timeout,” was Booth’s explanation when he eventually resurfaced alive and well.
Hopefully, for Moriyasu’s friends and family, the missing poker player will return safely to his fold.
