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Poker pro Shawn Sheikhan is headed to prison for 4 years after pleading guilty in federal court last Summer and recently receiving the lengthy prison sentence for operating an illegal cannabis industry.
Casuals like myself best remember poker pro Shawn Sheikhan (real name Shahram Sheikhan) from his 2005 argument with Mike ‘The Mouth’ Matusow at the World Series of Poker. It was one of the most popular clips from the 2005 WSOP at a time when it was televised on ESPN and the ‘Poker Boom’ was in full effect.
In June 2022, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California announced poker pro Shawn Sheikhan had pleaded guilty alongside Sabriana Williams under charges of operating illegal and unlicensed marijuana dispensaries throughout Southern California. They were raided by the FBI last Summer.
According to a Card Player report, Shawn Sheikhan’s attorneys hoped to avoid prison time after the guilty plea and were angling for probation. Unfortunately for Sheikhan, Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo sentenced him to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, which was the punishment being sought by the prosecution.
Sheikhan has enjoyed a successful career as a poker professional. According to his HendonMob database profile, Shawn has amassed $1,565,145 in live poker earnings. Shawn Sheikhan has cashed 13 times at the World Series of Poker, most recently in Event #49: No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship back in 2021.
Shawn also won an episode of Poker After Dark after beating out Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu back in 2007:
His largest World Series of Poker cash was $600,000 when he finished 11th at the WSOP Main Event back in 2005.
When federal authorities busted Sheikhan’s illegal cannabis operation back in 2021 they confiscated a comical amount of weed. There were over 3,000 pounds of cannabis seized with an estimated street value in excess of $6 million.
Sheikhan has long been considered one of the best Deuce to Seven Lowball players in the game. In addition to the illegal cannabis operations in Southern California, Shawn Sheikhan owns a chain of tobacco and tattoo shops.