Lamar In Danger: Odom Kidnapped & Held Hostage By Bookies For Gambling Debt
Lamar Odom was kidnapped in a gambling scheme gone horribly wrong, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
Khloe Kardashian's troubled ex-husband spent two days with his captors while his girlfriend — and her 2-year-old daughter — were terrorized at gunpoint!
According to a source, the frightening chain of events began in Portland, Oregon in early June when Odom went to visit his then-girlfriend, Savanna Waldrop, and her family.
"Lamar has massive separation anxiety so he flew to meet her in her hometown even though she told him no and she needed to have some time alone with her family," a source told RadarOnline.com.
Before he arrived Odom told Waldrop he wanted to gamble. The only problem was the former Lakers pro was broke, so he had to borrow a whopping $10,000 from some shady locals.
"Savanna set up the loan and Lamar knew he had to pay it back no matter what," said the source. "The bookies had no idea someone famous like Lamar didn't have the cash to pay them back. And you don't mess with these guys."
Odom soon found out the dangerous result of his lies.
"Within 20 minutes the $10,000 was gone. He gambled it all — and lost!"
Then he was in jeopardy of losing not only his life, but that of his and her innocent little girl.
"Within 24 hours the bookies were harassing them, following them to their Airbnb and hotel, and waiting for them in the parking lot," said the source.
"It got so bad, they threatened Savanna and her daughter with a gun and said they'd kill her."
"They kicked in the hotel door and came in with guns when they were all in bed."
That's when they took Odom and held him for ransom until he came up with the money.
"He had to go with them," said the source.
"They kidnapped him for two days and took him to their house in Portland where he basically just hung out with them," continued the source.
"Savanna tried calling him, but they wouldn't let him pick up the phone or text."
Even more bizarre, the kidnappers took him to a nightclub.
"They weren't going to leave him alone so he could take off from Portland. They were trying to scare him."
In a desperate attempt to get the needed cash, Odom even had Waldrop pawn his gold necklace for $1,000.
After 48 hours, the frightening turn of events came to an end when Waldrop paid the men $1,500, and the star's camp forked over $2,800 of the debt. Finally, he was freed.
- Khloe Kardashian Gave Ex-Husband Lamar Odom and Caitlyn Jenner Her Blessing For Their Podcast Before Premiere: Sources
- Lamar Odom and Caitlyn Jenner Reunite For Sports Podcast Years After 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians'
- NBA Star Lamar Odom Spotted With '90 Day Fiance' Couple Loren and Alexei in Florida
"Lamar still owes the rest, about $5,000, not including the interest that they want. But he still hasn't paid," added the source.
Instead, Odom made light of the scary situation.
"When we survive this, we will laugh about it on a beach somewhere getting high," he told his girlfriend in a text on June 8.
And he twisted it, blaming Waldrop for what happened to him.
"I just saved your a**," he wrote June 9 in a text.
"…if it wasn't sic for me who knows what would have happen sic to you!!"
"I ruined my whole trip with what happened yesterday. I don't think u sic realize how I stopped s**t from getting physical!!" he texted June 10.
After the harrowing ordeal, Odom flew back to Los Angeles and then to China, where he is playing basketball.
"Savanna already helped him with $80,000 of her own money, and she had none left," said the source. "She tried all she could do to help. But at the end, it's Lamar's responsibility to help himself."
And this type of behavior is par for the course for Kardashian's ex. After his near-death overdose at a Nevada brothel in 2015, Odom was spotted in Las Vegas in March gambling and partying.
"Lamar has a gambling addiction," said the source, adding that he's blown through $2 million in two years.
"It's gotten so bad that his friends have to hold his money and he insists that they can't give it to him. But he'll take it back anyway."
"He'll never change."
And it's unknown whether his outstanding gambling debt has been paid.
"Those guys are not going to forget about Lamar. They want their money."
We pay for juicy info! Do you have a story for RadarOnline.com? Email us at tips@radaronline.com, or call us at (866) ON-RADAR (667-2327) any time, day or night.
Get the exclusive celebrity scoop on all the stars you love before any of your friends by subscribing to our new podcast Straight Shuter below!