Posted on: November 6, 2025, 04:35h.
Last updated on: November 6, 2025, 04:35h.
- Affidavit reveals threats within L.A.’s illicit poker scene
- Israeli national accused of extortion, no charges of violent crimes
- Hollywood Hills murder intensifies fears among L.A.’s poker elite
Federal prosecutors allege that a purported Israeli organized-crime figure attempted to infiltrate Los Angeles’ high-stakes private poker scene through intimidation and demands for “protection.”
A recently unsealed affidavit claims that Assaf “Ace” Waknine, aged 52, transmitted threatening messages across state lines in relation to his alleged intimidation of a high-stakes poker game host.
One of the threats mentioned a man who had been fatally shot in what appeared to be a targeted hit at a previous game in Hollywood Hills.
Waknine is currently not in custody. The Israeli national, who has past convictions for assault, burglary, and forgery, was deported from the United States in 2011 and is thought to be residing in Mexico. His lawyer, Brett Greenfield, informed The L.A. Times that his client denies all allegations of threats or extortion.
High-Stakes Poker in Hollywood
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, exclusive private poker games surged in popularity throughout Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. Prosecutors indicate these games attracted celebrities, affluent entrepreneurs, and professional players, with buy-ins commencing from around $20K. Hosts could reportedly earn up to $100K per night through tips and rakes, according to the affidavit.
These gatherings were extravagant, often featuring dealers, DJs, bartenders, cocktail servers, chefs, and security personnel. Prosecutors allege that Waknine and his brother, Hai Waknine—previously identified as a henchman for Israel’s Abergil crime clan—sought to capitalize on these events.
By mid-2023, it became evident that some of these poker games were being targeted by unscrupulous individuals. A sequence of arson attacks occurred, followed by the deadly shooting of Emil Lahaziel, another Israeli national with ties to organized crime.
While Waknine is not accused of involvement in these crimes, he reportedly exploited Lahaziel’s death as a scare tactic against the poker game host he was attempting to extort.
“I guess you really want to end up like your other bitch-ass poker buddy,” Waknine allegedly texted to the host after facing rejection, per the affidavit.
The Story of Emil Lahaziel
Lahaziel had moved to Los Angeles from Florida shortly before his untimely death. A federal affidavit indicates he had significant debts and was associated with criminal circles, including the Waknine brothers. Divorce records mentioned by The Times reveal that Lahaziel warned his wife that certain individuals were threatening his life due to illicit activities he had engaged in outside the country.
In Israel, he filed for bankruptcy, citing over $1.5 million in debts, despite sharing images of private jets and luxury automobiles on social media.
On the night of his murder, Lahaziel was participating in a poker game hosted by social media influencer Tony Toutouni, as police testimony reveals. Around 2 a.m., he stepped outside to meet someone and was shot in the face just minutes later.
Two gang members, Ricardo Corral and Jose Martinez Sanchez, have been charged with his murder. Investigators connected them to a stolen Dodge truck captured on surveillance near the murder scene, backed by phone records and witness accounts, as indicated in court filings. Both men have pleaded not guilty and are pending trial.