Cab Driver Returns Poker Player’s Cash

January 3, 2014

On December 23, 2013, a poker player forgot $300,000 in the taxi’s backseat. The player was in a Yellow Checker Star and lucky for him, the driver was kind. Sometime after forgetting the money in the taxi, the driver, Gerardo Gamboa actually turned in the amount and it was handed back to the unnamed poker player–a well-known pro.

The driver came across the package after Bellagio’s hotel doorman gave him a brown-colored paper bag that someone had forgotten in the taxi’s backseat. Gamboa, an experienced tax driver since 1989, at first thought that the package contained chocolates. However, after a close inspection, he realized it had six $100-bill bundles adding to $300,000.

Upon realizing this, Gamboa quickly contacted his dispatch after which he went back to the office to hand in the cash. He went ahead to surmise that the cash he had collected belonged to a passenger that he had driven from The Cosmopolitan to the Palms Place Tower at a $9.10 fare, which earned him a tip of $5. After dropping the passenger at Palms Place Tower, he went to queue at Bellagio and while there, he came across the money.

After he reported the incidence, the Metro police were informed after which they carried out an investigation for four hours. Working together with the officials at the casino, they concluded that the money was for a famous poker player that wished not to be named.

Joel Willden, the field operations manager at Yellow Checker Star said that the player was very grateful and understanding. While at some point he got irritated, he was not aggressive or mad. He was just a bit embarrassed for having left $300,000 in a cab.

Gamboa later said that he could not trade his dignity for any amount and that his parents taught him this right from childhood. Yellow Checker Star did not only name him the Cab Driver of the Year but also awarded him $1,000 dollar reward and dinner for two. Besides, the anonymous poker player rewarded Gamboa $10,000 for his rare gesture.

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