Federal investigators have revealed that a Greenwich Village townhouse once rented by Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott was allegedly used as a venue for rigged, high-stakes poker games connected to New York’s organized crime families.
The six-story residence at 80 Washington Place, located near Washington Square Park, was identified as one of two Manhattan sites where members of four major crime syndicates reportedly hosted private poker nights.
The illegal operation, described in a federal indictment issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, allegedly defrauded wealthy participants of millions of dollars through elaborate cheating mechanisms.
According to prosecutors, the group behind the scheme used electronic card shufflers and X-ray-enabled tables to manipulate games. Former professional basketball players were allegedly recruited to attract high-profile players, ensuring the events appeared exclusive and legitimate.
The indictment named more than 30 defendants but did not include Jenner or Scott, and there is no evidence suggesting they were aware of or involved in any criminal activity.
The celebrity couple reportedly lived in the property in 2021 while Jenner was pregnant with their second child, before relocating to California. The townhouse even made a brief appearance in a 2023 episode of The Kardashians, the same year the poker games were allegedly still being hosted there.
A luxury property with a turbulent past
The townhouse has long been considered one of Greenwich Village’s most desirable private homes. Real estate records indicate that it changed ownership multiple times over the past decade, often appearing on the market with high rental prices.
At one point, listings sought up to $80,000 per month. In 2024, it sold for $17 million in an all-cash foreclosure sale to a shell company reportedly registered in Armenia.
Inside, the property features multiple living levels, high-end renovations, and private outdoor areas – a stark contrast to the criminal activity alleged to have taken place there. Authorities believe the poker ring began operating at least as early as 2019, using both the Washington Place residence and another address in Kips Bay to run the games.
The scheme began to unravel in late 2023 after a violent confrontation between rival factions of the operation. Prosecutors say one group attempted to hold a competing poker event on the same night as another at 80 Washington Place. The dispute escalated when armed men allegedly stormed the property to shut down the rival gathering, resulting in a violent altercation.
The indictment has exposed what prosecutors describe as a sophisticated enterprise that merged organized crime tactics with the allure of celebrity and luxury. For the federal government, 80 Washington Place stands as a prime example of how New York’s elite spaces can be quietly co-opted into criminal networks.
For Jenner and Scott, however, it was merely a rented residence – one that has since become notorious for reasons entirely beyond their control.
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