Brent Carter made a name for himself on the poker circuit in the 90s for his achievements in the World Series of Poker (WSOP). He won two gold bracelets and two Circuit rings throughout his career, and amassed more than $3 million in total live earnings, over $1 million of that he earned competing in the WSOP.
Over the last six years or so, Carter hasn’t been as active at the poker felts as he was during his prime. His last recorded tournament score was in 2015, a 5th-place finish in a PLO event in Vegas.
But recently, Carter has made headlines, not because of any new accomplishments in poker or in society. The Illinois native has made the news for all the wrong reasons and has been charged with the federal crime of spreading a hoax that involved the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC).
Decades-Long Grudge Leads to Federal Crime
Since 2019, Carter has been allegedly sending suspicious packages to the NYSGC. The packages contained white powder, which were later discovered to be harmless, but had caused quite a scare to the commission’s staff and employees.
Carter’s actions came as a form of “revenge” for the suspension of his horse racing license more than four decades ago. Before transitioning to poker, Carter was a professional harness racer. However, in 1976, his license was suspended by the NYSGC after he was involved in a cheating controversy.
An investigation was conducted and Carter was eventually cleared of all the allegations, with his license also reinstated, but Carter apparently held on to his grudge against the NYSGC for four decades, and he found a way to get back at the commission by sending them “garbage or junk” to “slow down their thinking”. The first sign of Carter’s revenge occurred in 2018, when he left a threatening voice mail to an NYSGC employee, referencing the Las Vegas mass shooting.
Afterwards, he sent white powder to the commission on multiple occasions. The 72-year-old admitted to sending the packages, in an interview with the investigators in October 2020. He was told that the substances were treated as hazardous materials, but Carter responded by saying the NYSGC have been “hazardous” to his life.
Carter was warned by the FBI that those acts are considered a federal crime. He said he just wanted to clear up his horse racing issue, and was just trying to “make a point by being funny”. But he also said it could be because he wanted to take “revenge”.
The warning from FBI didn’t stop Carter though, and he allegedly sent another envelope containing white powder in January 2021. The substance was later found out to be a talcum powder. He was later arrested by the FBI in Vegas and was charged with spreading a hoax.
During his arraignment, Carter pleaded not guilty, that’s despite his previous admission. He was released while a trial is still being scheduled. For committing the crime, the 72-year-old could be sentenced to jail for up to five years, with one year of post-release supervision. But lesser penalties could also be handed down, under the federal sentencing guidelines.
Carter’s Successful Poker Career
Carter’s shift to poker from his career as a professional harness racer proved to be a great decision for him. Back in time, he found considerable success in the WSOP. He has two bracelets which he won in 1991 and 1994, and added two Circuit rings in the years that followed.
Omaha became Carter’s forte and he made quite a lot of money playing the format. His biggest score came in 1995 when he finished third in the WSOP Main Event for $302,750. After that, he went on to score more ITM finishes and final tables. In 2008, he also won a World Championship of Online Poker bracelet in a PLO tournament on PokerStars.
His Hendon Mob profile shows 35 victories, and more than $3 million in total live earnings. He hasn’t cashed in any tournament since 2015.