Joe Sebok Barred From Canada Over Vandalism

[mrkilla]

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http://www.pokerroad.com/_/authorpag...p;type=proBlog

Is this a new border policy? He says he was busted for his senior prank 12 years ago and they wouldnt let him in to cover a tournament.

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not new, any crime that they have in Canada that you have been busted for in the US can be grounds for denying entry. DWI, Minor Assault, Vandalism etc. Anything above a scoff that will show on your criminal record (something like possesion as long as it wasnt a MisD)

A lot of this stuff can be cleared off though but its a pain in the ass to do.

[gregorio]

You guys realize that he had the problems because he said he was covering the tournament,so they checked, and he didn't have the proper work permits. They checked the list the WPT submitted of people working the event, and JOe wasn't on it. Try getting into any country by telling them you are coming to work, and no you do not have a green card or work visa or any other documentation.

Oh, and there was the small matter of having something in his file about having smuggled drugs or illegal aliens across the border.

Yeah, it was the vandalism charge that got him banned.

[lozen]

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i heard this, and was just wondering why sebok wouldn't just tell them he was going to play in the tournament, since i'm sure that's what his plan was anyways.

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Yeah, it's BS that they barred him (and the stuff about the trafficking allegations seems like something out Brazil or something), but it seems Joe took the wrong approach to crossing the border and offered way too much info at the outset. As our cabbie mentioned after we passed the border, "Never tell them more than you have to." Canadian customs are notoriously huge [censored]. Unless they were traveling with a bunch of recording equipment or something, there was no reason to complicate things by saying anything other than, "We're going to play a poker tournament." Anyway, sucks Joe...

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When you commit a crime you never get across either border unless you have a waiver or pardon. Rule apllies both ways and custom agents on both sides can be pricks. Heck the Americans tortured an innocent CDN for two years admit the goofed but still will not let him in.

Though in my mant times crossing both ways only one bad experience and that was with the US border guys. No sympathy for him. Though I do hear our border guys are worse than the yankee ones