Poker Champ Gold Faces Suit for Half His Winnings

Filed in archive Poker on August 25, 2006

Things were going so well for Jamie Gold during the World Series of Poker as he beat thousands of players to win millions of dollars.

But now a judge has put a restraining order preventing Gold collecting his $12 million prize as a suit has been filed by a TV exec claiming half his winnings.

Apparently Gold had 'verbally promised' Bruce Leyser 50% of all his winnings after tax. They agreed after Bodog.com had paid the $10,000 entry fee and Gold had taken the seat.

Leyser taped a phone conversation he had with Gold just 3 hours before the final table commenced with the reassurance that the money would be shared.

Bodog are naturally keeping out of it.

Gold, a former Hollywood talent agent from Malibu, Calif., and currently a television producer, could have received the $12 million payment (minus taxes) via cashier's check, cash or wire transfer within hours after winning the tournament but declined to do so.

"Jamie Gold is disappointed the plaintiff, a person he has only known since July of this year, has elected to file litigation rather than continue the parties' discussions in an effort to find a resolution to this matter," Gold's lawyers said in a statement. "Gold believes strongly in the American judicial system and believes it is better to present his case there than to try the matter before the court of public opinion."

Article: World Series of Poker prize money frozen after suit is filed against winner