- A luxurious Manhattan townhouse once rented by rapper Travis Scott has been identified as a hub for an illegal, high-stakes poker ring.
- The operation was allegedly run by powerful Mafia crime families and used former NBA stars to lure in wealthy targets.
- A federal indictment has charged over 30 individuals in the scheme, though Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott are not implicated or mentioned in the filings.
- The criminal enterprise reportedly swindled millions from victims using rigged equipment like hidden cameras and X-ray tables.
Celebrity Past, Criminal Present
A ritzy Greenwich Village townhouse, once the temporary home of Kylie Jenner’s ex, Travis Scott, has been unmasked as the epicenter of a massive illegal gambling operation, according to federal prosecutors. The property at 80 Washington Place, a stone’s throw from Washington Square Park, allegedly became a criminal den for Mafia goons and former NBA players to run rigged poker games, cheating high-rollers out of millions.
Scott, the 34-year-old rapper who shares two children with Jenner, rented the lavish residence back in 2021. However, by 2023, feds allege the home had been co-opted by members of four of New York’s most powerful crime families for their illicit enterprise. It is crucial to note that neither Travis Scott nor Kylie Jenner were mentioned in the extensive federal indictment, and there is no indication they had any knowledge of or involvement in the criminal activities that took place after Scott’s tenancy.
Inside the High-Stakes Scam
The sophisticated scheme, which began around 2019, used former NBA players to attract wealthy individuals to the exclusive, high-stakes games. The criminals allegedly employed advanced cheating technology, including rigged card shufflers and X-ray tables, to guarantee the house always won. This elaborate setup allowed them to swindle millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims at both the Greenwich Village location and a secondary spot in Kips Bay.
The federal indictment, brought forth by the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, has led to charges against more than 30 people allegedly connected to the multimillion-dollar scam.
Violent Mob Tensions Erupt
The lucrative operation was not without conflict. In the fall of 2023, tensions flared when rival mobsters hosted a competing poker game at 80 Washington Place on the same night as a game at another location. This turf war allegedly culminated in a violent confrontation, with a group of armed wiseguys storming the townhouse to shut down the rival game, resulting in a vicious brawl on the property.
From Historic Home to Criminal Hub
Before its recent notoriety, the six-story residence had a much more distinguished history. It was once the home of iconic American composer John Philip Sousa, known for creating the Sousaphone and composing patriotic marches like “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
After being on and off the market for over a decade, the infamous townhouse finally sold in an all-cash foreclosure deal in 2024 for $17 million. The buyer is an anonymous shell company, reportedly registered in Armenia, marking another mysterious chapter in the property’s storied history.
Image Referance: https://nypost.com/2025/10/23/us-news/nyc-pad-once-rented-by-kylie-jenners-baby-daddy-travis-scott-tied-to-nba-gambling-scandal/