The details of the former Full Tilt Poker, CEO, Ray Bitar’s, $40m forfeiture have been disclosed, and his former company confirm what the world had already suspected: Viktor Blom and Gus Hansen are searching for new employers.
Long before Full Tilt Poker got all antsy on word count and dropped the word ‘Poker’, the man responsible for running the company, Ray Bitar, was in an awful pickle after pleading guilty to one charge each of violating the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), and wire fraud.
Tweezers? Bolt Cutters? Bowie Knife? Axe? Chainsaw?
In 2011, that meant Bitar was looking at nine felony counts, and, if the Judge was having an off day, 35-years doing porridge.
Only Bitar never did any time.
When the acknowledgement of guilt was received, it came via a video link because Bitar was too unwell to attend the court hearing, in Manhattan, because he was in desperate need of a heart transplant.
The news of his condition was discovered in 2013, and his attorney John F. Baughman, said he only had a 50% chance of seeing 2014 if he didn’t receive the present that every Scarecrow wants for Christmas.
Well?
Nobody knows; but what we do know, are more details behind the assets and property that he was forced to forfeit as part of the $40m windfall he was made to give up after pleading guilty.
Thanks to the sterling work of intrepid reporter, Haley Hintze, we now know that Bitar’s wealth was spread far and wide; with over 18 separate bank accounts, in five different countries, all bearing the name of Raymond Bitar or Raymond Jack Bitar; several properties including a one-tenth ownership in a Bermudan hot spot, and interest in 23 different corporate identities.
Managing that lot is enough to give anyone a heart attack.
If you want the real nitty gritty then head over to Flushdraw.net and get your fill.
Bitar was one of 11 people indicted on Black Friday, eight of whom have pleaded guilty, leaving the former PokerStars payments director, Paul Tate; Ultimate Bet co-founder Scott Tom; and PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg, remaining at large.
Rumor has it, after Scheinberg’s recent victory in the United Kingdom & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) High Roller in the Isle of Man, the reason there were so many people in the winning photo was to obscure Scheinberg’s face so the drones couldn’t get an accurate image sent back to Hannibal, Face and B.A. Baracus.
It’s Official – The Professionals Are Gone
Yesterday, we heard on the poker grapevine that Viktor Blom and Gus Hansen were looking for new employers, after a recent website make over removed 99% of their existence.
Full Tilt have since released official word that the pair’s contracts were up, and they have not been renewed. So, if you fancy hiring a couple of High Stakes cash game players, who have lost $25m between them in the past 10-months, then look no further than the young Swedish degen who doesn’t do interviews, and the Great Dane who seems to have a bankroll of Ray Bitar size proportions.
If you struggle to find them then you might want to try Full Tilt Poker.
