Chino Rheem has stirred up a lot of controversy in the poker world, but has this caused him to go broke? Many poker players have strong opinions around this topic which are covered below.
Chino Rheem and loans
Chino Rheem is regarded as the kind of person who loans a lot. He will use the loans to play poker, and return the money if he wins. When he loses, it’s a very different story.
Joseph Cheong once loaned Chino Rheem $40k and this is what he had to say:
I had no idea so few people knew about Chino. First of all, he’s a very charming, nice guy. Second of all, if he ever won the lottery for $10 mil, I guarantee he will pay everyone back (as long as you see him before he sees the pits).”
2+2 Controversy
Across multiple 2+2 threads (with the latest one being here), many players talked about their interactions with Rheem and his antics. Will Molson was the person who originally outed Chino Rheem as running loan-based scams.
If you have the time, reading through the thread is recommended.
What does Chino Rheem have to say about this?
In an interview with PokerListings, Rheem is quoted as saying:
“The things people say online are not necessarily all true but there is some truth in what they say. I’ve done some things I’m not proud of, I man up to it, I admit it. I try to live each day and make the best of it.”
Chino Rheem’s poker results
Even throughout the controversy, Rheem is still a regular on the tournament circuit. His most recent tournament cash was in September 2016 where he took home more than $50k in a $2,500 event. He also cashed in multiple WSOP and WTP events in 2016.
Rheem’s biggest wins include:
– $1.8 million in the 2008 WSOP Main Event (7th)
– $1.5 million in the 2009 WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic event (1st)
– $1.1 million in the 2013 WPT World Championship (1st)
He has earned just over $8 million in career tournament winnings and is well within the top 100 tournament cashes list.
So is Chino Rheem broke?
By all reports, yes, Chino Rheem is broke. He reportedly still owes many poker players and businessmen thousands of dollars, and until these debts are settled, he must be regarded as broke.
If you’re interested in finding out more about Chino Rheem’s situation, watch this video about Chino Rheem on debt and getting out of the hole.