It is our traditional Thursday look at poker criminals and this week it even involves those who assisted in the biggest of all poker crimes (according to the US Govt) … the illegal use of dodgy payment providers by Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker, Ultimate Bet and let us not forget Poker Stars because, although Stars are hardly mentioned, we are sure the DOJ has not forgotten them.
But dont worry if you are bored with with the Full Tilt news as we also have some good old standard poker criminals stories to make sure you get your fill. We shall start with your generic poker criminals story that could happen to anyone of us, although the last story about IRS Frank could also!
Who of these people accused of crimes relating to poker are criminals? Are they all? Who should get the worse punishments? Who will get the worse punishments?
Which one of these is the poker criminal?
Bad runner runner
In the US, shock, Dexter Deering took the poker lingo of acting under the gun to a new height or low. Dexter was playing poker with 3 others when he left the game and then came back with a semi automatic gun (would you really care if it was semi automatic or not?) and robbed them of $350 then did a not very good runner runner. It seems like he was stopped by traffic police then did a runner on foot and was chased by a police dog for 1 and half miles.
For becoming a poker criminal and stealing a huge $350 Dexter is now facing a lifetime prison sentence due to previous convictions. That has to be one of the worst cases of an -EV under the gun play ever!
You can tell that the reporter was not into poker because the only question you want to know is what hand did he get beaten on to go out of the game?
Online poker Supergrass
Daniel Tzvetkoff, the online payments supergrass, had faced a 75 year prison sentence for his involvement in the payments scandal, but after going supergrass is now on a witness protection scheme and will not be facing any prison time. Tzvetkoff made at least $100 million and stole millions from Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars. Poker hero or poker villain? Poker criminal?
Chad Elie who was a business associate of Tzvetkoff and was facing 85 years has made a plea bargain and now has reduced his possible prison term to a maximum 1 year.
At the end of the day, even though Dexter Deering has done previous crimes, was his crime of $350 worthy of a life sentence compared to these people who assisted with the Full Tilt Poker disaster that has left people out of pocket?
IRS Frank
Now to our favourite story out of all the recent poker criminals and this involves a US man who has become a bit of a legend in the pokerQ4 office. IRS Frank, as he is known by his poker buddies, is a serious live poker player. Playing poker at his local casinos every day, all day. IRS Frank played $20/$40 Limit Texas Holdem at the Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee or the Hollywood Casino in Aurora.
Poker criminals? IRS Frank
IRS Frank had left his wife and children after a divorce in 1992 and was meant to pay $2000 a month in child support. Instead of paying he was playing poker and would give the family $250 sometimes or not bother to pay for years on end. When finally 20 years later things were brought to a head he owed over $230,000 in back payments.
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