By Alex Kopestinsky / August 19, 2021
High stakes Canadian Poker Pro Matt Marafioti died in an apparent suicide
Poker Pro from Canada died after jumping from the 28th story high rise in New Jersey last Friday. Marafioti was one of the best poker players of his generation, with nearly $3 million in earnings.
Apparently, Marafioti’s mental state was deteriorating rapidly and he had led a very public battle with his demons. That caused a growing concern among his fellow poker players. It all started with a series of social media posts where he insinuated that “social justice gangsters’’ are after him after a long custody battle of his young son.
The tragic ending of a troubled poker pro
Around 11 AM on Friday the 13th, Marafioti dove headfirst to his early demise. Authorities confirmed that he jumped to his death from his friend’s 28th-floor balcony located at the Winston Towers, a high rise above the Hudson River in Cliffside Park.
He apparently thought that his pursuers were coming to get him, started panicking, and then jumped.
The day before this tragic incident, Marafioti wrote on his Instagram profile: “Enjoying a beautiful lunch and enjoying summer. No word back from either lawyer yet. Looks like a set up to make it look like I disappeared before the court case to avoid exposing the whole Illuminati through factual evidence. Here comes the arrest or disappearance. I’m dead either way. Tortured first too,”.
Marafioti earned almost $3 million on live tournaments. He earned the largest score of $381,507 back on the 2010 World Series of Poker. Marafioti has been in the world of poker since he was 19 years old and then he made his way to the top.
A figment of the imagination or something else?
Marafioti’s mental state seemed to be deteriorating progressively in the past few years. First, he got everyone around him worried when he went missing for 45 days back in 2016. When he resurfaced back and informed everyone that he was okay, he stopped attending poker tournaments for a while.
He is also known for various comments on YouTube and Twitter about conspiracy theories. Marafioti also claimed that the Illuminati are behind everything and that they are planning to frame him and put him in a mental institution. His father who was his manager for a short period of time said that all is well and that it’s just a figment of his imagination. But it didn’t help to convince Marafioti.
“I will be the one who is ultimately punished while everything I say and all the evidence is overlooked as the authorities pretend they don’t know what’s going on,” Marafioti claimed. “I am being entrapped, gang stalked, harassed, and set up for murder.
“They are somehow going to attribute this to my ‘mental health’ instead of a social justice movement funded by incredibly powerful people which can’t be revealed because it’s completely dehumanizing and unlawful in nature.”
Whatever the truth is, is it a sad fact that the world of poker has lost a talented player. He was smart, witty and a devoted father who wanted to do anything to be with his son more.
If you are struggling with mental health issues- make sure to look for help right away. You are not alone and there is someone who can listen.
These are the helplines if you are feeling down or if you are worried about someone else you care about.
Samaritans – for everyone
Call 116 123
Email [email protected]
Information:
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)
Call 0800 58 58 58 – 5pm to midnight every day
Visit the webchat page
Information:
Papyrus – for people under 35
Call 0800 068 41 41 – 9am to midnight every day
Text 07860 039967
Email [email protected]
Information:
Childline – for children and young people under 19
Call 0800 1111 – the number will not show up on your phone bill
Information:
SOS Silence of Suicide – for everyone
Call 0300 1020 505 – 4pm to midnight every day
Email [email protected]
Message a text line
If you do not want to talk to someone over the phone, these text lines are open 24 hours a day, every day.
Information:
Shout Crisis Text Line – for everyone
Text “SHOUT” to 85258
Information:
YoungMinds Crisis Messenger – for people under 19
Text “YM” to 85258