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Dan Bilzerian: Instagram playboy arrested for 'attempting to make bomb'

If convicted, the poker player and 'venture capitalist' could face up to six years in prison

Victoria Richards
Thursday 11 December 2014 12:48 GMT
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Instagram playboy Dan Bilzerian was reportedly arrested at Los Angeles Airport on Tuesday following claims that he tried to make a bomb.

The professional gambler and actor, 34, was being held without bail before being released on Wednesday, L.A Weekly said.

He is believed to have been arrested following a complaint from the Clark County District Attorney's office last month, which claimed that he had ammonium, aluminum powder, and ammonium nitrate mix – which, when mixed together, would make TNT. It also alleged that he possessed such a device.

An official with the Clark County District Attorney's office told the magazine that possessing bomb-making equipment could carry a prison sentence of one to six years, and having a device could result in one to four years in jail. Each count also carries the possibility of a $5,000 fine.

Prior to his arrest, Mr Bilzerian had been in Miami to attend Art Basel and celebrate his birthday. But he was forcibly ejected from a nightclub on Saturday night, after he allegedly physically assaulted a woman by kicking her in the face.

He was said to have been dancing on a stage at LIV, in Miami Beach, when he 'kicked' model Vanessa Castano. Mr Bilzerian said on Instagram that two girls had "attacked" someone he was with - though he later deleted the post. According to other reports, Ms Castano was trying to block someone trying to join him on the platform.

TMZ reported that police were called, but the victim decided not to press charges.

The self-titled 'King of Instagram' is a gun lover who has posed for photos with high-power, military grade rifles. He has 5.6 million followers on the photo-sharing site, on which he posts regular snaps of gambling and naked women.

He's no stranger to controversy – in May, he threw 19-year-old model Janice Griffith off a roof into a pool at his home in Las Vegas as part of a Hustler photoshoot, but missed. The model broke her foot and made an unsuccessful bid for $85,000 in compensation.

Following his arrest, Mr Bilzerian posted a photograph on his Twitter account with the words: 'Jail... Let's not do that again'.

The L.A. Times reported that Mr Bilzerian is scheduled to appear in a Clark County court in January.

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