Key Moments:
- George Janssen secured an $18,556 prize in a Michigan poker event while awaiting sentencing for financial institution fraud
- Janssen was found zip-tied and injured after being reported missing in November 2023 amid claims of abduction by an extortion gang
- Prosecutors allege Janaasen orchestrated a $3.9 million auto-loan fraud scheme, with $1.9 million still unsettled
Tournament Victory Amidst Legal Turmoil
George Janssen, a well-known poker player currently awaiting sentencing after admitting to financial institution fraud, recently triumphed in a Michigan poker tournament. Janssen outperformed 311 other participants in a $400 buy-in Ultimate Stack no-limit hold’em competition at Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek, winning $18,556. This achievement comes as he awaits a court decision regarding his fraudulent auto-loan scheme.
Congratulations to past MSPT Main Event Champ George Janssen of Bad Axe, MI on winning Event #1: $400 Ultimate Stack NLH @FireKeepers outlasting 312 runners to secure his first Gold Card!
Results: https://t.co/d7kW8WO8aW pic.twitter.com/SZrRGfVe0T
— MSPT (@msptpoker) October 8, 2025
Kidnapping Claims and Missing Person Investigation
After being reported missing by his family in November 2023, Janssen was discovered injured and restrained on a rural roadside near Bad Axe, Michigan, in December. He alleged he had been abducted by a “Hispanic extortion gang” and confined in an Ohio basement for 33 days before escaping. Prior to this, his car was located abandoned, with $50 bills scattered inside. Janssen claimed ongoing threats and extortion by a criminal group targeting both him and his family.
Extent of the Fraud Scheme
According to federal prosecutors, Janssen engaged in a long-running scheme that targeted at least 20 financial institutions, defrauding them out of more than $3.9 million by submitting false auto-loan applications from 2016 to 2023. Of the total sum, $1.9 million remains outstanding. In August 2025, court records indicate Janssen agreed to plead guilty to one count of financial institution fraud. He faces a potential prison term of up to 30 years and a $1 million fine, but federal guidelines suggest a shorter sentence may be possible due to his guilty plea and previously clean record.
Financial Strain and Regulatory Action
Authorities say Janssen faced mounting financial pressures before his disappearance, allegedly using fraudulent paperwork to obtain multiple loans secured by the same vehicle through his car dealership. Michigan regulators revoked his car-dealer license for five years for document falsification, two weeks prior to his disappearance.
Extortion Details and the Letter Mystery
Details emerged that months before his vanishing, Janssen told a friend he had been threatened and extorted for about two years. He claimed an armed man demanded $2 million and that extortionists forced ongoing contact and cash drop-offs. During his alleged captivity, Janssen’s family received a handwritten letter containing real and invented names; the initials of the fictitious names spelled out “KIDNAP.” Prosecutors allege the kidnapping story was fabricated to mask overwhelming debt and years of financial deception.
Legal Risks and Sentencing Outlook
| Key Legal Risk | Possible Outcome |
|---|---|
| Maximum Prison Sentence | 30 years |
| Maximum Fine | $1,000,000 |
| Expected Sentence (Guidelines) | Fewer than ten years, contingent on guilty plea and lack of prior offenses |
- Author
Daniel Williams
