Where's the charity cash, poker record group ask

November's attempt to break a poker playing record has left a Wanganui tournament director upset and angry.
And a group who played in the tournament are asking questions about what happened to money they raised for their chosen charities.
The tournament at the Grand Hotel, which started at 5pm on November 22, was an attempt to break the world record for playing Texas Hold 'em poker.
Two players, "Chopper" Te Moananui and Christie Teki-Reu, played for 117 hours, breaking the previous 115-hour record.
The players were to have been sponsored, with money going to charities, and the record breakers were also to have been listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Two months after the tournament, no money has gone to charity and the organisers are leaving it to the record breakers to organise getting their names listed in the record book.
One of the organisers, Rhonda McKenzie, said the tournament had cost $960 to run and fewer than expected took part.
"It brought in $600, so we are down $300."
She said she had only been helping organiser Heiko Zoglauer, who was her partner at the time.
"It was all his idea."
But Mr Zoglauer said Ms McKenzie was in charge of the business side of things and he wasn't sure about the money.
Mrs Teki-Reu estimated at least $1000 was raised for the charities and the players wanted to know what had happened to it.
The players have taken their concerns to Wanganui police.
Senior Sergeant Mark Chillingworth said their complaint was being investigated.
Wanganui tournament director Mike Hills helped set up the record attempt and said it was "run as straight as a ruler".
Before it, he also acted as spokesman for the organisers, Mr Zoglauer and Ms McKenzie.
He said he had nothing to do with the money side of things.
He is upset that, after their huge effort to play for 117 hours, Mr Te Moananui and Mrs Teki-Reu have been left to organise their own record and is planning to help with that.
Getting their feat officially recognised will depend partly on whether there is clear video footage of the whole 117 hours, and they may also have to pay any costs themselves.
"That was not what they signed up for," he said.
The organisers had "melted down and left those two heroes Poker tourney turns sour
amid questions over cash
flat". He added: "They've been treated incredibly badly, in my book."
After setting up the play according to international rules, he said he was called back to the hotel several times during the tournament because the organisers had failed to solve problems.
"Now it's gone the big pear shape, because they didn't even follow through after the fact. I will be happy if I never see Rhonda or Heiko again."
Mrs Teki-Reu's sister, Jade Teki, said she had the written financial records for the tournament and they had a lot of gaps.
"The whole thing is really embarrassing. It's not just the fact that the money didn't go to charity. It was a big effort staying awake that long. They did so well and now they have nothing coming of it."
Broadcaster Brooke Howard-Smith volunteered his time to help launch the event, because it was supporting a good cause.
"I'm extremely proud of both Chopper and Christie's achievement and hope they receive the recognition they deserve from Guinness," he said.