A Las Vegas judge has issued a no-bail arrest warrant for sports betting influencer David Oancea, widely known as “Vegas Dave,” after he failed to appear for a civil court proceeding on Thursday. The warrant stems from Oancea's noncompliance with a contempt order related to a civil case brought by vacation rental company Cabo Platinum.
District Judge Joe Hardy ordered Oancea's arrest. The influencer, who boasts over 9 million Instagram followers, had a contempt order issued against him in July. Cabo Platinum sued Oancea in 2024, alleging he disrupted bookings for several of its luxury properties by blocking guest access and interfering with confirmed reservations. District Judge Timothy Williams ruled in favor of Cabo Platinum in July of last year, ordering Oancea to pay a $30.2 million judgment and prohibiting him from disrupting future rentals.
Court records indicate Oancea failed to pay the judgment. A judge subsequently ordered him to surrender specific assets, including three Mexican properties, $375,000 in cryptocurrency, a Richard Mille watch, and several Hermès Birkin bags. Oancea reportedly ignored this order, claiming he no longer owned the assets or properties. Following an evidentiary hearing, District Judge Tara Newberry declared his testimony untruthful, inconsistent, and evasive, stating, "This court finds that Mr. Oancea was not a credible witness."
Judge Newberry then gave Oancea two options: turn over the assets or be jailed until compliance. She also awarded Cabo Platinum nearly $294,000 in attorneys' fees and $17,000 in costs, characterizing Oancea's inability to comply as "self-created, strategic, and the result of voluntary acts to avoid compliance."
An attorney representing Cabo Platinum stated that Oancea had not complied with either option. Oancea's legal team informed the court that he was not in possession of the required assets. The influencer had been scheduled to surrender himself on August 6, but a judge delayed the date to allow Oancea's legal team to file an emergency stay petition with the Nevada Supreme Court. A notice of appeal was filed on Friday, according to the latest court filing.
Oancea gained notoriety in 2020 for his online videos promoting his sports gambling expertise, often focusing on less conventional activities such as curling, checkers, Russian badminton, UNO, and hula hoop contests. He would market betting packages for these events, claiming extensive study and insider information.