Yuto Moriyasu was last seen on July 2 at a Spring Valley AirBnB
A search is underway for a missing Japanese poker player who vanished while visiting Las Vegas. Yuto Moriyasu, a 26-year-old poker assistant, was last seen on July 2 at a Spring Valley AirBnB where he was staying with his roommate, Nobuaki Sasaki.
The two had arrived in Las Vegas from Japan in late May to participate in the World Series of Poker. Sasaki described Moriyasu as new to traveling and unable to speak English, which makes the situation more concerning, as he believes his friend would not have left the city voluntarily.
Sasaki reported that Moriyasu had gone out to get burgers but never showed up at their planned meeting spot at the Horseshoe Hotel and Casino. When Sasaki returned to their Airbnb later that day, he noticed something was off. Moriyasu’s cellphone, sandals, Japanese ID, backpack, and a large kitchen knife were found in the rental, but a significant amount of money—$10,000 in cash—was missing, along with his passport.
The situation remains puzzling, as Sasaki emphasized that there were still visible amounts of money in the house. He expressed disbelief that his friend would have run off with only a portion of the cash, leaving the rest behind. The presence of the kitchen knife on the chair also raised questions, but Sasaki noted that no clear signs of a robbery were found in the house.
Sasaki, who is in constant contact with Moriyasu’s family in Japan, has reached out to immigration authorities and confirmed that Moriyasu has not used his passport to return to Japan. With no clear answers yet, Sasaki’s only hope is that his friend is found alive and safe, saying that the most important thing to him is his friend’s well-being. The search continues, and authorities are investigating the strange circumstances surrounding the disappearance.
