According to The Hendon Mob, Maurice Hawkins, who has 24 WSOP Circuit gold rings and nearly $7 million in career tournament winnings, has filed for bankruptcy, partly to forgive a six-figure poker debt he owes to Randy Garcia.
According to a "Voluntary Personal Bankruptcy Filing" (Case No. 26-15116-EPK) obtained by PokerNews, Hawkins, through his attorney Michael A. Kaufman, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida on Thursday, April 23.
This application was submitted shortly after Hawkins won Event #3 at the WSOP Circuit Elgin.400NLH Champion (Winner)With $17,419 in prize money and his record-breaking 24th ring in less than three weeks, and according to The Hendon Mob, Hawkins' tournament winnings for 2026 have already reached [amount missing]. 217,254. Furthermore, he has just completed the best two years of his poker career (2025 prize money).741,937, 2024 prize money $853,068).
This application came months after Hawkins and Randy Garcia publicly announced their agreement, in which Hawkins agreed to pay by the 30th of each month. 2,500, until it is paid off.$30,000. This seems like a good deal for Hawkins, given the final judgment he received from the 15th Judicial Circuit Court of Appeals for Palm Beach County, Florida. $115,828。
Garcia reportedly agreed to the agreement, but Hawkins allegedly failed to fulfill his promises just months later. Garcia is now pursuing legal action to recover the funds.
Last week, PokerNews learned from a source in Tunica that Hawkins won a tournament prize, but was reportedly surprised to find he couldn't claim it due to a court-ordered seizure. The following day, Hawkins filed for bankruptcy—likely a strategy to evade future seizures and liability.
This claim was confirmed by Rogen Chhabra, the lawyer who co-submitted the seizure order with Garcia.
As Chhabra shared, while the bankruptcy filing is an obstacle in Garcia’s recovery process and could ultimately lead to debt forgiveness, they still have a chance to fight it by proving that Hawkins was not actually bankrupt but fraudulently used the system to evade debt.
The usual Hawkins?
As the bankruptcy filing came into effect, Hawkins was busy boasting on social media about his winning ways and poker skills, and even challenged Shaun Deeb to a $100,000 bet.
"I win every time I travel. Check my Hendon stats. My disposable income is more than your average income. I live in your mind for free," Hawkins wrote. He added, "All I have to say is 'Happy New Year.' This will be my most glorious year yet. Your words, posts, and malice towards me are irrelevant. You can't do anything about it."
Another thing he said on social media was: "Some people only talk, while others do. Let's welcome 2026... plus 80,000, you jerks. This is for those I told you I would earn this salary in a week. This is dedicated to you."
Hawkins got off to a strong start in 2026 with a #6 performance in the Gulf Coast Poker Beau Rivage Heater event:500 triple chips in NLH agreement payout, winning80,944, and a week later at the WSOPC Tunica event #2:Win in the 400 Mini Main Event and win35,146.
According to the IRS definition, "Chapter 7 bankruptcy, also known as liquidation bankruptcy, is a legal process that discharges most unsecured debts (such as credit card and medical bills) within 3-6 months, providing a 'fresh start.' A court-appointed trustee may sell non-exempt assets to repay creditors, but many individuals can retain all assets through exemption."
This differs from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which is a reorganization that allows businesses or individuals to retain assets, continue operations, and restructure debts through a court-approved plan.
According to his application, Hawkins listed his rental address as Wellington, Florida, and stated that his debt primarily consists of consumer debt. When asked about his estimated asset value, Hawkins checked a box. 500,001 to1,000,000 The options were between [the two options]. As for his estimated debt amount, he checked the [selection option]. 100,001 to500,000 between.
The application also included a list of up to two dozen creditors, including Boca Raton pawnshop, Nordstrom department store, several financial companies, and the aforementioned Randy Garcia.
If his application is successful, Hawkins will be exempt from paying the judgment amount against him, even though he appears to have performed well this year. In February, Hawkins shared on social media that after winning his 23rd WSOPC gold ring, he earned a $10,000 WSOP Main Event entry this summer as a casino champion and was going to "take the kids to Disneyland".
PokerNews will continue to track the developments of this event and provide updates as they become available.
In Facebook Follow Hunter Poker.
In Youtube Follow Hunter Poker.
On Instagram Follow Hunter Poker.
Want to transform your strategy from "knowing how to use it" to "making stable profits"?
If you have already mastered the basics, the following practical strategies will truly impact your profitability:
How to play Texas Hold'em after the flop? A complete guide to PFR heads-up pot C-bet and turn strategies.
Texas Hold'em Defense Tutorial: How can a Pre-Flop Caller (PFC) counter a C-bet? Complete Practical Strategy Analysis
Texas Hold'em Double Barrel Strategy: When is the second shot most profitable?
Texas Hold'em Bluff Strategy: When to Bluff? A Complete Semi-Bluff Guide
Texas Hold'em Delay C-bet Strategy: When Should You Delay Your Attack?
Texas Hold'em Check-Raise Strategy: The Core Skills of Offensive Defense
Texas Hold'em Multi-Player Pot Strategies: Correct Playing Techniques and Avoidance Guidelines for Pots with 3 or More Players
Texas Hold'em 3-bet pot strategy: How to simplify decision-making and control SPR after the flop?
Texas Hold'em Pot, Effective Stack, and SPR Judgment: A Complete Strategy Tutorial on Pot and Effective Stack
Texas Hold'em Range Tutorial: How to use Range to judge your opponents and make decisions?
Hunter Poker offers comprehensive strategy tutorials and hand analysis to help players upgrade from "reading cards" to "reading ranges" and "making decisions," truly achieving long-term profitability.