Trial Begins for Berlin Poker Heist Ringleaders

A still from live video captured during the EPT Berlin poker heist. (image courtesy of RTL)

The bold, action movie-esque armed robbery made headlines around the world, as a gang armed with assault rifles stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from a European Poker Tour event. And now, the trial has begun for the accused ringleaders of the attack.

The four men who actually carried out the robbery at the EPT event at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Berlin have already been tried and convicted. But the two men accused of masterminding the March 6th attack, Mohammed Abou-Charka and Ibrahim Al Moussa, began their trial yesterday, in Germany. The four convicted robbers are expected to testify today, while the trial will likely continue until November.

According to police sources, Abou-Charka allegedly met with the four robbers at a take-out food stand, to brief them about plans for the heist. The alleged ringleader, Al Moussa, was playing in the poker tournament, and watched the robbery from the hotel lobby. His lawyer denies the allegations, and says there’s no evidence linking him to the attack.

The gang got away with approximately 242,000 Euros in the attack, and only 4,000 Euros have been recovered. Nobody was killed during the heist, but a security guard suffered injuries. If convicted, Abou-Charka and Al Moussa each face up to 15 years in prison.