Beginner poker participant who admitted mendacity about stage-4 colon most cancers prognosis to lift $30,000 money to enter world collection STILL will not give a reimbursement as a result of he now thinks he has breast most cancers

An newbie poker participant who admitted to mendacity about stage-4 colon most cancers prognosis mentioned he will not give his donation a reimbursement as a result of he now thinks he has breast most cancers. 

Rob Mercer admitted he lied in regards to the severe well being subject in a bid to begin a GoFundMe and lift $10,000 to take part within the No-limit Maintain’em World Championship. 

Now, Mercer maintains that he does have most cancers – but that he lied because he was embarrassed to admit it may be breast cancer.

He nonetheless hasn’t confirmed if he really has breast most cancers regardless of the rip-off.  

‘On the finish of the day I lied to lots of people as a result of I used to be scared to inform the reality,’ Mercer mentioned. ‘And I suppose I will should pay for that,’ Mercer advised the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Rob Mercer (pictured) lied about having terminal colon when he launched a GoFundMe to purchase his approach into the World Sequence of Poker in Las Vegas, Nevada earlier this 12 months

‘I did lie about having colon cancer. I haven’t got colon most cancers. I used that to cowl my state of affairs,’ he mentioned.

In keeping with the Overview-Journal, Mercer acquired donations estimated between $30,000 to $50,000, together with a set on the Bellagio throughout the occasion.

Speaking with the outlet, Mercer doubled down on his apology about mendacity however maintained that he doesn’t plan to provide the cash again.  

‘What I did was improper. I should not have advised folks I’ve colon most cancers. I did that simply as a spur-of-the-moment factor when somebody requested me what sort of most cancers I had,’ Mercer mentioned in a telephone interview. 

‘I am sorry for not being trustworthy about what my state of affairs was. If I’d have performed that from Day One, who is aware of what would have occurred,’ he continued. 

In whole, his GoFundMe raised simply over $12,000. It’s now not on-line. 

One particular person recognized as Benjamin Lee donated almost half of the funds, a whopping $4,649. Others donated a whole bunch and one different particular person donated $1,000. 

The GoFundMe arrange by the newbie poker participant raised greater than $12,000

Mercer mentioned he was contacted by a GoFundMe consultant who advised him the fund wouldn’t be allowed to simply accept further presents because it violates the phrases of service. 

Apart from the financial donations, Mercer acquired perks together with a set on the Bellagio, which may price a number of thousand {dollars} relying on a number of elements. 

The authenticity of Mercer’s most cancers prognosis was first raised by poker influencer Doug Parscal Jr. 

Parscal first responded to a message from Mercer in February, the place he requested Parscal for assist as a result of he had most cancers. The influencer supplied to stake him – bankroll his sport – for a event in Lincoln, California.

‘He responded and mentioned, ‘I am too sick proper now, however I admire the supply,” Parscal mentioned to the Las Vegas outlet. ‘And that was it.’

In June, nevertheless, Mercer reached again out to Parscal and requested him to unfold the phrase about his GoFundMe to cowl his buy-in for the WSOP occasion. 

Parscal then used his personal connections to assist his fellow participant elevate cash, together with connecting him with well-known participant Nick Vertucci. 

Vertucci then supplied to cowl the distinction if Mercer’s GoFundMe didn’t find yourself reaching its aim – and the fundraiser ended up beating its asking pot.

However the participant’s elaborate lies started to unfold after he was eradicated from the event. 

Vertucci mentioned that Mercer was seen playing within the on line casino after his elimination, leaving many to marvel if he was spending fundraised cash. When he was confronted, he turned defensive.

Mercer used the cash he raised to purchase his approach into the World Sequence of Poker

After that, the senior poker participant distanced himself from the newbie.  

It was solely after one other poker participant and donor pulled him apart on the World Sequence of Poker occasion that they realized he could also be mendacity about his well being.

Cody Daniels – a chronically unwell poker participant who donated $2,500 to Mercer – mentioned Mercer gave obscure solutions to his questions on his well being whereas they had been speaking.

‘He was very obscure on the solutions,’ Daniels mentioned. ‘No person needed to say it. It was fishy to us, and clearly we weren’t the one ones.’

Parscal made the invention after asking Mercer for proof of his most cancers, during which he gave a MyChart.org notice the place he requested his physician to substantiate his prognosis. 

Mercer introduced the same notice to the poker neighborhood in June and the message was by no means responded to by the physician. 

Parscal began to have doubts about Mercer’s story after the WSOP and acquired a number of telephone calls from donors who expressed related issues.

After being confronted, Mercer deactivated his social media accounts.

He mentioned he understood why it regarded suspicious. 

‘Clearly I used to be simply attempting to maintain up with my story,’ Mercer mentioned. 

‘I did not need to get uncovered as a result of it appears to be like dangerous. It does look dangerous. I lied. I am not going to disclaim that. I lied. I ought to have simply been clear and comfy with what’s going on with me and inform folks what was occurring,’ he continued. 

Vertucci mentioned he hopes that the person who scammed him and others actually would not have terminal breast most cancers.  

‘He is nonetheless a human being and it is advisable to care about each particular person on the planet no matter what a giant piece of cheese they might be,’ Vertucci mentioned. 

‘I do not need the child to have most cancers. In the end, I might slightly him simply be a nasty particular person,’ the poker participant continued.