>
Gambler who saw ex-footy star’s $9,800 betting slip on pub floor and cashed it in has been found NOT guilty – but his trial may not be over
- The man cashed in the $9,787 betting slip he found on the floor of a Sydney pub
- Jake Linardos found ex-NRL star’s ticket at Doncaster Hotel
- The slip was won by Beau Champion, former South Sydney Rabbitoh’s centre
- He was found not guilty of gaining financial advantage through fraud
- Police are pursuing the case and have charged him with theft
<!–
<!–
<!–<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
A man has been charged a second time after he cashed in on a winning nearly $10,000 betting slip he found on the floor of a pub.
Jake Linardos, 25, from south east Sydney, was accused of gaining a financial advantage through cheating after cashing in on a ticket he found at the Doncaster Hotel in Kensington in August 2020.
Mr. Linardos found the bet slip, with a winner of $9,787, and held it for a few days before cashing it in another pub.
In a bizarre twist, the ticket belonged to former South Sydney Rabbitohs star Beau Champion.
Mr Champion soon realized he had lost the ticket and asked staff to help him find it, and the court police managed to track down Mr Linardos through the pub’s CCTV.
Mr Linardos was charged shortly afterwards, but during his recent jury trial at Sydney court he was found not guilty within hours – meaning he has no legal obligation to repay the money.
However, police are continuing the case by beating him on a charge of theft after he was found not guilty on Sept. 30 of obtaining a financial advantage through deception, police said. Daily Telegram.
A man faces court after turning in a $10,000 betting slip he found on the floor of a pub that belonged to a former football star
The court heard that Mr Linardos was walking through the TAB section of the Doncaster when he saw the betting slip lying on the floor.
He looked at the ticket and found that it had a winner of $9,787 on it.
Police used CCTV footage and Mr Linardos’ Covid check-in to locate him.
“About two weeks later the police called me and I told them exactly what had happened,” said Mr Linardos.
“I gamble a little and I wouldn’t like to lose that much money, so I wanted to give it back.
“I wanted to give it to the police, but they said it was a private matter and I had to meet the owner on the street.
“I didn’t even know who owned it and it could have been dangerous, so I said no. So after that they charged me.”
Mr Linardos found the bet slip, with a winner of $9,787, belonging to former South Sydney Rabbitohs star Beau Champion (pictured) – and cashed it in
Mr Champion realized he had lost the ticket and tried to move it – leading to police finding Mr Linardos via CCTV and his Covid check-in
The 25-year-old said he wasn’t aware the briefs belonged to Mr Champion until he saw the former footy star in court.
His lawyers said there was no cheating as to the ownership of the bet as there was no identification on it.
“A jury of 12 people has considered the facts of the case and found Mr Linardos not guilty,” attorney Jeannette Fahd said.
“He now wants to move on with his life.”
He will now face charges of theft in February, with Mr Linardos saying he is not in a financial position to return the money.
“The money is all gone now because I had to pay my lawyers,” he told the Daily Telegraph.
“I was trying to do the right thing. I didn’t rob him or anything. I just found a ticket and tried to do the right thing, but I was charged instead.’
Mr Champion has still not received the money.
Mr Linardos found the betting slip on the floor of the Doncaster Hotel in Kensington