Just days after tying World Series of Poker Circuit history, Maurice Hawkins’ character is under the scrutiny of the poker world.
On Wednesday evening, the Florida native won the $400 no-limit hold’em monster stack at the WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Tunica stop. He bested a 571-entry field to earn $34,711 and his 19th Circuit ring.
The victory tied him atop the all-time ring leaderboard with Ari Engel, who also has four WSOP bracelets. But the buzz on social media isn’t about his success. Instead, Hawkins spent the subsequent day denying claims from former backers that he stole their money.
Just two days before Hawkins won his 19th Circuit title, one of Hawkins’ former backers, Randy Garcia, called Hawkins a “pathological liar and a deadbeat.” Garcia said that while he backed him for quite some time and loaned him money for bills and family obligations. But those debts were never paid back.
But this wasn’t a new development. This situation was well-known and settled in court. After Garcia took legal action against Hawkins, a Palm Beach County judge ruled in Garcia’s favor, awarding him a $115,828 judgment.
Garcia said Hawkins never paid the six-figure sum the court demanded. In the April 21 tweet, Garcia said that a “Maurice Hawkins fanboy” filmed a video interview between Garcia and Hawkins where Hawkins agreed to pay $30,000 to Garcia before the start of the 2024 WSOP.
The video was never released, and Garcia posted a screenshot of a text message from March 7 in which Hawkins admitted to stiffing Garcia.
Maurice Hawkins update… one year ago the Maurice Hawkins fanboy
KieroLovesYou</a> did a video interview with Maurice and myself. In that interview he agreed to pay me $30,000 before the start of last years WSOP. One year later and he failed to do so. <a href="https://twitter.com/KieroLovesYou?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">KieroLovesYou refused to… pic.twitter.com/o6mNkmHSpX— RanMan (@RandyGa51306496) April 21, 2025
“Give me 30 days,” Hawkins’ text read. “If I don’t pay you, then you know that I truly don’t care.”
The 30-day extension ended on April 7. According to Garcia, no payment was made. He said he was hiring a lawyer to help seize any money Hawkins may win to collect the six-figure sum Hawkins legally owes him.
In the aftermath of Garcia’s tweet, Matt Berkey dedicated a segment to the situation on his Only Friends podcast. Then, after his victory, Hawkins tagged the podcast and other media members in a tweet where he bragged about his recent victory and mocked Garcia’s one-year update on the debt.
ITS STRANGE YOU TELL PEOPLE NOT TO REPORT ABOUT ME WINNING .When my name IN every FUCKING title of your show and report .Maybe we can celebrate the same report every year. I will light a candle next time.6 years later.KISS MY ASS.
ChadAHolloway</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/OnlyFriends_Pod?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">OnlyFriends_Pod @RandyGa51306496 https://t.co/c6WI1lhExp— EatingOnAllStages (@mauricehawkins) April 23, 2025
The public back-and-forth between the pros prompted another Hawkins backer to step forward. Denise Pratt, a poker enthusiast from Mississippi who travels to several Circuit stops, sent Berkey a message detailing her history of staking Hawkins.
In a post on Thursday, Berkey released the message, her spreadsheet detailing the money spent and two videos of her interacting with Hawkins. Additionally, he dedicated another podcast segment to Hawkins on Thursday’s Only Friends episode.
Pratt said she paid for Hawkins’ travel expenses and tournament buy-ins at the MSPT Columbus and the Circuit at Horseshoe Tunica. According to Pratt, she backed him in the $400 monster stack, which he won for $34,711.
Her records show she spent $11,460 on expenses and buy-ins, and is owed nearly $15,000 of the winnings.
The two videos show her interactions with Hawkins while, presumably, trying to collect the money she claims is owed to her.
One of the videos shows Hawkins at the payout desk collecting his cash. You can hear casino staff telling Pratt she needs to leave the area.
“He owes me money,” Pratt said in the video.
“I don’t owe you shit,” Hawkins responded.
In the other video, you can see Hawkins call Pratt a “dumbass bitch” and quickly walk away from her with chips in his hand.
Tune In LIVE at Noon PT to
OnlyFriends_Pod</a> <br><br>In lieu of <a href="https://twitter.com/mauricehawkins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">mauricehawkins winning his record tying 19th ring, we are going to once again put him in the headline… for THEFT. @SneakieNesie just shared details of their backing arrangement that he outwardly ducked at the… https://t.co/eaEJKTrayb pic.twitter.com/kNsAQG9Hzl— Matt Berkey (@berkey11) April 24, 2025
Hawkins didn’t directly respond to any of Pratt’s allegations. Instead, he threatened Berkey with a lawsuit.
“At @OnlyFriends_Pod I WANT YOU TO KNOW I AM ABOUT TO SUE THE FUCK OUT OF YOU.” tweeted Hawkins.
In another tweet, 30 minutes later, Hawkins stated that the suit would arrive in two weeks.
