At a party with my ex-cheating buddies (now all retired) not too long ago, we got into a conversation about which celebrities would make the best casino cheaters. Our arguments were based on their roles, whether it be in movies, sports or just the aura they give off and the incidents they're involved with in real life. All of the NFL troublemakers getting busted for drunken driving and strip-bar rousing were disqualified from consideration.
Here's what we came up with:
James Woods: the top prospect. You just sense he’s got the balls along with his healthy mix of charm and intimidation. He was great in the movie "Casino" and even had a small role in the cult gambling classic "The Gambler." No, not the one with Kenny Rogers, the one with James Caan!
Speaking of which, James Caan: No doubt Axel Freed always in the hole again would take to the underhanded ruses of casino cheating, despite his role of surveillance director Big Ed in "Vegas."
Daytona 500 winner Jeff Gordon: one of my buddies cited his adept confrontation of danger. He'd love the race for the cash!
Hank Azaria: picked for his “underrated” wide-range and quick wit.
Former MTV funnyman Tom Green because sometimes you need a little bit of craziness to get the job done.
How about the females?
Lindsay Lohan....forget it! She'd never make it to the casino! Neither would Britney Spears for that matter.
The top female prospects included Mary McCormack, Sarah Silverman, Ricki Lake and Angie Dickenson, all for their various beauty and talents, although Angie might be a bit aged, but can you imagine her once luscious "policewoman's" legs diverting pit bosses' attention as she strolled across the casino? Someone mentioned Jodie Foster
for her role in Taxi Driver, though Robert Dinero was deemed too mafioso to be a smooth casino cheater.
None of us had confidence in Ben Affleck’s ability to play that part, nor were they impressed with Dennis Rodman or any other NBA players, not even Tony Parker, whose cute and innocent face would surely fool casino bosses, but his wife did get mention.
And as for my own opinion about the best possible woman cheater? Sharon Stone without a doubt! Her feline charm from "Basic Instinct" would hot and bother any male casino employee into paying her bet! Imagine her teaming up to scam the casinos with James Woods!
Here's some more of what was said:
James Woods – He comes across as a smart guy not just in his acting but in interviews. I heard about one where he recognized casinos don’t even really give you a chance to win. I imagine he might like to play some slick little games against the house.
Jeff Gordon – Most of the best cheaters I’ve worked with love fast cars. Cheaters are thrill seekers but like to be in control. I imagine NASCAR drivers are similar in this respect, and have discipline, skill and guts
Hank Azaria – Love his voices on the Simpsons and in The Birdcage. Versatility is big in cheating casinos where you might need to play the high-roller one night and the bust-out the next.
Tom Green -- a bit out there and could definitely get on my nerves but it is business and he would probably go to extreme lengths to get the job done.
Mary McCormack -- played Howard Stern’s loving wife in his movie. Most of her other roles aren’t standout performances but that’s what you want in a good actress. Get the job done without undue attention. Not just a good but a great actress.
Sarah Silverman – funny as hell, with off the wall material. Not too bad on the eyes either, a distraction that that can come in handy.
Ricki Lake – It’s not her captivating looks or particularly anything about her personality, but several of my cheating buddies see a certain something that makes her engaging. It seems people just want to like her, a great asset in any con.
Angie Dickenson – sort of a catch all for all of the HOT women. If they turn a head they are useful. In her day, Angie turned lots of heads. And, unlike some of the other pretty faces she seems wise to the ways of the world and could keep her mouth shut in a pinch.
Ben Affleck seemed to pull off some good roles both on the screen and at the poker table but none of us were really interested in taking a chance of any jail time based on his ability at acting under duress.
Dennis Rodman & Dave Navarro – Nobody’s ever going to forget seeing these two coming or going. Being too unique looking is a no-no in the cheating game.
OTHERS:
My former partner Balls and I would be willing to take a risk on FRIENDS' David Schwimmer. Nobody else seems interested in him as a cheating partner. I’d also give Matthew Perry a try.
I recall hearing how Martin Sheen wouldn’t let a heart attack stop him form filming APOCALYPSE NOW. Any cheating team could use that sort of dedication.
You might think Penn Jillette would be great because he’s a magician, but it is less about sleight of hand as it is about attitude. I still think his performer's sensibility would be a great asset but the magic tricks do very little to add to his viability. Didn't he write a book about cheating his friends at poker??
Kathy Griffin is kind of a loudmouth. She’s got a quick wit but being able to keep your mouth shut is too important in this business.
While he’s not a great actor, of the entire bunch it seems that Norm MacDonald might have the most experience as a real gambler. Real gambling doesn’t have a lot to do with cheating except that having lost to casinos helps motivate. Norm would be worth a closer look.
And last but not least, don't forget about "Ruthie," the one time real female casino cheater portrayed in my book "American Roulette," who gave it all up for the fake life of a Hollywood movie star. I never met her, but my mentor Joe Classon told me she was the best!!
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Cheating at Mobile Gaming???
First of all, what is Mobile Gaming? It's gambling done on a remote wireless-connected device such as wireless tablet PC's, mobile phones and other non-traditional mid-level networked commuting devices. Some online casinos and online poker cardrooms offer mobile options. Most mobile gambling services require a data connection to operate. The data connection is provided by the telecom provider for the region or country and may use data layer technologies such as GPRS, GSM Data, UMTS, and I-MODE. However, some services are available through an SMS text messaging interface. Some analysts place the value of this market space at US$20 billion by 2010, though at the moment it is still at a nascent stage due to the nature of most countries' indecision towards regulation of remote and online gambling.
So, can mobile gaming be cheated? Well, for those of you who say no, think again! Many people believe hacking online casinos' source codes from the outside is impossible. Many believed seeing players' hole cards, as what happened at Absolute Poker, was impossible. When it comes to cellular technology, remember how we all thought that no one speaking on their cellphone could be tracked to an exact location, right? Well, now they can track you to a dime! So, believe me, the high-tech cheaters will find ways to cheat mobile gaming, just as they did with traditional online gaming. I will be passing evidence of this along as I get it.
So, can mobile gaming be cheated? Well, for those of you who say no, think again! Many people believe hacking online casinos' source codes from the outside is impossible. Many believed seeing players' hole cards, as what happened at Absolute Poker, was impossible. When it comes to cellular technology, remember how we all thought that no one speaking on their cellphone could be tracked to an exact location, right? Well, now they can track you to a dime! So, believe me, the high-tech cheaters will find ways to cheat mobile gaming, just as they did with traditional online gaming. I will be passing evidence of this along as I get it.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Subscribe to my new Poker/Casino Cheating Security Newsletters!
Beginning December 1, 2007, I will be issuing a poker security newsletter that will pass along current information on cheating going on throughout the world's brick and mortar poker rooms as well as online poker cheating activity. It will include everything related to cheating, including tournament cheating, and if you subscribe you can specify one gaming area that you want prioritized in your newsletter, for example: Las Vegas, Mississippi, London. The newsletter will be monthly and the cost is $49.95 for a one-year subscription. Payment will be taken through PayPal.
I am also issuing a newsletter detailing non-poker casino cheating, both in real casinos and online. This will comprise all table games including carnival games.
The subscription links will be up shortly.
I am also issuing a newsletter detailing non-poker casino cheating, both in real casinos and online. This will comprise all table games including carnival games.
The subscription links will be up shortly.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Is this Casino Cheating?
When I heard this news, I don't know who I felt more sorry for, the guy busted or the Detroit casino that busted him. In any event, it's hard to believe that all this happened over a few $10 bets. I understand that cheating is cheating, but maybe the casino should have recognized that this guy was not an intentional cheater.
Here's the article:
Incident at casino could cost it plenty
Gambler sues after being called a cheat
October 31, 2007
BY DAVID ASHENFELTER
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Joseph Ogundu called it a blunder at the craps table.
Greektown Casino and the police who work there called it cheating, and had the 46-year-old West Bloomfield resident charged with a felony and a misdemeanor.
In July, 11 months after the incident at the Detroit casino, a Wayne County Circuit Court jury acquitted Ogundu.
On Monday, Ogundu returned to Wayne County Circuit Court -- this time, to file a lawsuit against the casino, a State Police officer and an unnamed Detroit cop. He's accusing them of false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, defamation of character and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Ogundu, an engineering consultant, is seeking at least $25,000 in damages.
"It's been a terrible ordeal," he said Tuesday.
A casino spokesman said he couldn't comment on pending litigation. There was no immediate comment from the Michigan State Police.
The incident happened in the wee hours of Aug. 5, 2006, after Ogundu bought $100 worth of chips and stopped at the craps table.
His lawyer, David W. Jones of Detroit, said Ogundu is an inexperienced gambler and a novice at the dice game.
Before long, Ogundu placed an improper bet, prompting the dealer to tell him to remove the bet from the table.
About 15-25 minutes later, he made another improper bet. The dealer, who was getting ready to pay Ogundu $10 for winning, caught the error and paused to explain the rules to him, Jones said.
Later, Jones said, a Michigan State Police officer and uniformed Detroit cop arrested Ogundu.
He was charged with a state gambling violation that carries up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine if he's convicted, as well as a misdemeanor -- trying to obtain money under false pretenses -- which calls for up to a year in jail and a $500 fine upon conviction.
Before trial, the state twice offered plea deals, which Ogundu rejected. A jury eventually acquitted him after viewing video from the casino table.
"He's an honest man," Jones said, noting that Ogundu lost $50 during an hour at the table.
He said the casino violated its own policies, which requires that bettors first be warned about breaking the rules.
Jones said Ogundu was so inexperienced at craps, he bet both for and against the shooter, canceling out his wager.
"That should have been a sign to the casino that he was an inexperienced gambler," Jones said.
Here's the article:
Incident at casino could cost it plenty
Gambler sues after being called a cheat
October 31, 2007
BY DAVID ASHENFELTER
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Joseph Ogundu called it a blunder at the craps table.
Greektown Casino and the police who work there called it cheating, and had the 46-year-old West Bloomfield resident charged with a felony and a misdemeanor.
In July, 11 months after the incident at the Detroit casino, a Wayne County Circuit Court jury acquitted Ogundu.
On Monday, Ogundu returned to Wayne County Circuit Court -- this time, to file a lawsuit against the casino, a State Police officer and an unnamed Detroit cop. He's accusing them of false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, defamation of character and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Ogundu, an engineering consultant, is seeking at least $25,000 in damages.
"It's been a terrible ordeal," he said Tuesday.
A casino spokesman said he couldn't comment on pending litigation. There was no immediate comment from the Michigan State Police.
The incident happened in the wee hours of Aug. 5, 2006, after Ogundu bought $100 worth of chips and stopped at the craps table.
His lawyer, David W. Jones of Detroit, said Ogundu is an inexperienced gambler and a novice at the dice game.
Before long, Ogundu placed an improper bet, prompting the dealer to tell him to remove the bet from the table.
About 15-25 minutes later, he made another improper bet. The dealer, who was getting ready to pay Ogundu $10 for winning, caught the error and paused to explain the rules to him, Jones said.
Later, Jones said, a Michigan State Police officer and uniformed Detroit cop arrested Ogundu.
He was charged with a state gambling violation that carries up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine if he's convicted, as well as a misdemeanor -- trying to obtain money under false pretenses -- which calls for up to a year in jail and a $500 fine upon conviction.
Before trial, the state twice offered plea deals, which Ogundu rejected. A jury eventually acquitted him after viewing video from the casino table.
"He's an honest man," Jones said, noting that Ogundu lost $50 during an hour at the table.
He said the casino violated its own policies, which requires that bettors first be warned about breaking the rules.
Jones said Ogundu was so inexperienced at craps, he bet both for and against the shooter, canceling out his wager.
"That should have been a sign to the casino that he was an inexperienced gambler," Jones said.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
DanDruff Responds to Absolute Poker's Mark Seif
The point he makes is that this type of scam can happen at Poker Stars, Full Tilt or any other online poker site. I totally agree with him, even though that doesn't mean that it will...anytime soon.
DanDruff Responds to Absolute Poker’s Mark Seif
October 31st, 2007 Written by Steve Vaughan
I seen previously on 4Flush, the interview Mark Seif did about the issues surrounding the Absolute Poker scandal, Mark stated that this type of event could happen at PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.
This statement has again fueled a lot of debate which lead Mark to write this on his blog about the statement as well as the video interview in a post dated 10/28/2007:
“I was quite surprised when I saw the interview because it was presented to the viewers as if I came in to present AP’s side of the story. I never knew that nor did I agree to that. Nor did AP. I came in representing myself and speaking only on my behalf. I’ll clear this up with the folks at RawVegas.tv. I’m sure it was unintentional. Probably a minor thing to them. After all, not EVERYONE is forced live and breathe this thing non-stop 24/7.
Based on some of the posts I’ve read, I think there is a substantial amount of confusion regarding my statement about Stars and Full Tilt. This is either due to me failing to be clear and/or poor editing. I don’t remember.
I stated that this type of thing could happen at Stars or Tilt, because it can. Let me be clear. I think, actually, I KNOW, that Stars and Tilt are run by very ethical, highly reputable people. I have tremendous respect for the management at both sites. I play on both sites.”
Towards the end of the initial video interview, Mark Seif talks about Todd Witteles (DanDruff) and says that he has said a lot of “untruths” and “exaggerated quite a bit” in his statements about the AP scandal. Seif goes as far as to say, “I think he’s actually engaged in some civil liability.”
Today, Todd Witteles (DanDruff) has done his own interview with rawvegas.tv. In this interview, Todd asks questions about why Mark Seif is still representing Absolute Poker, talks about the allegations of Mark cheating himself and addresses the Seif interview itself.
About the “untruths” and “exaggerated quite a bit” remark, Witteles says,
“You (Seif) said many times that I have lied and exaggerated about you, I don’t really understand this.”
He goes on to say that he has looked over posts and recalled conversations and added,
“Never once have I lied or exaggerated about you in my life”
DanDruff Responds to Absolute Poker’s Mark Seif
October 31st, 2007 Written by Steve Vaughan
I seen previously on 4Flush, the interview Mark Seif did about the issues surrounding the Absolute Poker scandal, Mark stated that this type of event could happen at PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.
This statement has again fueled a lot of debate which lead Mark to write this on his blog about the statement as well as the video interview in a post dated 10/28/2007:
“I was quite surprised when I saw the interview because it was presented to the viewers as if I came in to present AP’s side of the story. I never knew that nor did I agree to that. Nor did AP. I came in representing myself and speaking only on my behalf. I’ll clear this up with the folks at RawVegas.tv. I’m sure it was unintentional. Probably a minor thing to them. After all, not EVERYONE is forced live and breathe this thing non-stop 24/7.
Based on some of the posts I’ve read, I think there is a substantial amount of confusion regarding my statement about Stars and Full Tilt. This is either due to me failing to be clear and/or poor editing. I don’t remember.
I stated that this type of thing could happen at Stars or Tilt, because it can. Let me be clear. I think, actually, I KNOW, that Stars and Tilt are run by very ethical, highly reputable people. I have tremendous respect for the management at both sites. I play on both sites.”
Towards the end of the initial video interview, Mark Seif talks about Todd Witteles (DanDruff) and says that he has said a lot of “untruths” and “exaggerated quite a bit” in his statements about the AP scandal. Seif goes as far as to say, “I think he’s actually engaged in some civil liability.”
Today, Todd Witteles (DanDruff) has done his own interview with rawvegas.tv. In this interview, Todd asks questions about why Mark Seif is still representing Absolute Poker, talks about the allegations of Mark cheating himself and addresses the Seif interview itself.
About the “untruths” and “exaggerated quite a bit” remark, Witteles says,
“You (Seif) said many times that I have lied and exaggerated about you, I don’t really understand this.”
He goes on to say that he has looked over posts and recalled conversations and added,
“Never once have I lied or exaggerated about you in my life”
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Cheating Carnival Games
People often ask me which casino table game is the easiest to cheat. The answer is that the "carnival games" are by far the easiest to cheat, and because of that fact are the most cheated tables in the casino world. For those of you who don't know exactly what a carnival game is, it is any of the poker derivative games that are now flourishing in casinos all across the world, games such as three-card poker, four-card poker, Pai Gow poker, ultimate bet poker and a host of others. The first two major carnival games to hit casinos were Caribbean Stud and Let it Ride back in the early '90s.
Many of you have heard about the high-tech microcamera three-card poker scam that rocked London's casinos for close to a million bucks in 2005, but the vast majority of cheating the carnival games is much more elementary. I have observed scores of individual and two-and three-man cheating teams performing scams ranging from bet-pressing (increasing bets after card outcome) to bet-pinching (decreasing bets after card outcome) to card-switching. Since the overall atmosphere is generally more relaxed and the dealers more friendly at these tables, capable cheaters can take swift advantage of it. While dealers are busied happily explaining the rules to either a cohort or innocent player, their attention is diverted, which gives cheaters time to add a few chips to each of the multi-bets out there or switch cards with their partners, giving either one or all of them a payoff-winning hand. I have seen many flagrant cheating operations and yet to see one of them caught by the dealer. The worst I've seen is a dealer saying with a soft reprimand to a bet-presser, "Sir, you can't do that..." I have yet to see a dealer notice a card-switch. Overall, it seems that casinos do not worry as much about carnival-game cheating as they do the other table games.
Many of you have heard about the high-tech microcamera three-card poker scam that rocked London's casinos for close to a million bucks in 2005, but the vast majority of cheating the carnival games is much more elementary. I have observed scores of individual and two-and three-man cheating teams performing scams ranging from bet-pressing (increasing bets after card outcome) to bet-pinching (decreasing bets after card outcome) to card-switching. Since the overall atmosphere is generally more relaxed and the dealers more friendly at these tables, capable cheaters can take swift advantage of it. While dealers are busied happily explaining the rules to either a cohort or innocent player, their attention is diverted, which gives cheaters time to add a few chips to each of the multi-bets out there or switch cards with their partners, giving either one or all of them a payoff-winning hand. I have seen many flagrant cheating operations and yet to see one of them caught by the dealer. The worst I've seen is a dealer saying with a soft reprimand to a bet-presser, "Sir, you can't do that..." I have yet to see a dealer notice a card-switch. Overall, it seems that casinos do not worry as much about carnival-game cheating as they do the other table games.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Send Absolute Poker Scammer an E-Mail?
Sounds stupid to me, but now that his alias has been turned into a public e-mail address, maybe you want to send him an e-mail and tell him what an asshole he is. Who knows, maybe he'll respond!
Absolute Poker Culprit's MSN Messenger Obtained by Gambling911.com
The culprit in a notorious Absolute Poker "internal cheating" scandal has been located in - of all places - his native Canada.
Want to chat with AJ and ask why he cheated you and other fellow poker players?
For the first time ever, Alan John Grimard (AKA AJ Green) has had his current email address and MSN Messenger released to the public. It is peptona@hotmail.com
It turns out that Grimard has made enough enemies to fill a football stadium, and those don't even include the cheating victims.
"Why do I want people to have his email address?" said a former employee of Nine who worked with the perpetrator. "He is a complete asshole and has always been. I know that in a span of six months (while at Nine.com) he made three assistants cry and resign and once an employee told him to 'connect better with the customers'. His response was 'I will only connect to my bank account."
Point-Spreads.com last week reported on how AJ had a photo of himself covered in money, decked out "American Beauty" style.
"He got to be Operations Manager at Nine.com because he would always take credit for everyone else's successful project when his minions were the one's who did all the work. He is the worst human being I have ever met to say the least."
Grimard's home address and other pertinent information provided to us will not be made public out of concerns for his safety.
Absolute Poker has been paying all the victims back, some of whom had no idea they were taken advantage of by Grimard.
As each passing day goes by it seems more and more likely that many in the Absolute Poker organization appear to have been duped by this scammer, whose prior job was that of a "cyber squatter".
Grimard is yet to respond to the allegations. The online poker community, however, has already presumed him guilty until proven innocent.
Gambling911.com has also learned that an individual accused of stealing during a poker tournament with some distant ties to Absolute Poker disappeared and has not been heard from since. The individual in this matter could have run off to Mexico with the stolen funds or may have met some other grisly fate. Grimard was well aware of this detail and it cannot bode well that half the poker world is furious with him right now.
Absolute Poker Culprit's MSN Messenger Obtained by Gambling911.com
The culprit in a notorious Absolute Poker "internal cheating" scandal has been located in - of all places - his native Canada.
Want to chat with AJ and ask why he cheated you and other fellow poker players?
For the first time ever, Alan John Grimard (AKA AJ Green) has had his current email address and MSN Messenger released to the public. It is peptona@hotmail.com
It turns out that Grimard has made enough enemies to fill a football stadium, and those don't even include the cheating victims.
"Why do I want people to have his email address?" said a former employee of Nine who worked with the perpetrator. "He is a complete asshole and has always been. I know that in a span of six months (while at Nine.com) he made three assistants cry and resign and once an employee told him to 'connect better with the customers'. His response was 'I will only connect to my bank account."
Point-Spreads.com last week reported on how AJ had a photo of himself covered in money, decked out "American Beauty" style.
"He got to be Operations Manager at Nine.com because he would always take credit for everyone else's successful project when his minions were the one's who did all the work. He is the worst human being I have ever met to say the least."
Grimard's home address and other pertinent information provided to us will not be made public out of concerns for his safety.
Absolute Poker has been paying all the victims back, some of whom had no idea they were taken advantage of by Grimard.
As each passing day goes by it seems more and more likely that many in the Absolute Poker organization appear to have been duped by this scammer, whose prior job was that of a "cyber squatter".
Grimard is yet to respond to the allegations. The online poker community, however, has already presumed him guilty until proven innocent.
Gambling911.com has also learned that an individual accused of stealing during a poker tournament with some distant ties to Absolute Poker disappeared and has not been heard from since. The individual in this matter could have run off to Mexico with the stolen funds or may have met some other grisly fate. Grimard was well aware of this detail and it cannot bode well that half the poker world is furious with him right now.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Was Absolute Poker Rogue setting up Sports Book in Costa Rica?
If so, that will make a wonderful marriage! It's the same old "steal from one enterprise to start another crooked enterprise." Read about it!
Several Point-Spreads.com sources have confirmed that the Absolute Poker Super User account scammer AJ Green and another sportsbook associate were attempting to open up a sportsbook in Costa Rica. Could he have been using the ill gotten gains from the Absolute Poker Scandal? It sure does sound like it from what we are hearing coming out of Central America. The other associate of Green was a former sportsbook executive known as "Powers" that was rumored to steal customer databases from the places he worked at before leaving.
A Point-Spreads.com source stated "I can confirm the sportsbook deal with that Powers guy...a sportsbook started with stolen money..in fact this could be the whole reason for the scam because AJ is too cheap to spend his own money."
As recently as October 22nd, the pair "walked into some place to look at office space and the owner told them to 'get the fuck out' as he knew about the poker scam," stated a second well connected source in Costa Rica. AJ Green, the Absolute Poker Super User scammer, appears to be on the lam with online gambling information website Gambling911.com stating he was last seen in Panama City, Panama. A recent report stated Green was using the services of armed bodyguards after the news broke of his involvement in the scandal. How can a "consultant" making approximately 50k per year afford bodyguards?
"AJ Green seemed like the type of guy you would find in a sportsbook," stated professional poker player Mark Seif in a video on the VegasRaw.tv website today. "He had a free spirit....He liked to party, he had long hair...we certainly did not talk about any hole cards."
Seif went on to state he met AJ Green in Costa Rica twice and that Absolute has already paid out "upwards of over $1 million dollars already" in refunds to online poker players.
Point-Spreads.com first reported that the actual amount of the Absolute Poker Super User scam was approximately $7 million and spans over three years.
"I think this type of incident could have happen on Poker Stars, I think it could have happened at Full Tilt. I think it could happen anywhere. The real issue is how the company handles it after the fact!"
We could not agree more and believe Joe Norton, the former Grand Chief of the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake and the 100% owner of Absolute Poker parent company Tokwiro Enterprises ENRG will do the right thing in this situation which thrusts his Indian tribe directly into the internet gambling spotlight. Norton releases a statement about the Super User Account Scandal to all registered account Absolute Poker accountholders on October 21st, 2007.
The online poker giant has the funds to survive this storm and we believe all players that were effected will be reimbursed after an internal audit, an audit by Gaming Associates and a audit by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission are completed. This is anticipated to conclude over the next several weeks. Absolute Poker could actually come out stronger than every if they play their cards right this time around!
Several Point-Spreads.com sources have confirmed that the Absolute Poker Super User account scammer AJ Green and another sportsbook associate were attempting to open up a sportsbook in Costa Rica. Could he have been using the ill gotten gains from the Absolute Poker Scandal? It sure does sound like it from what we are hearing coming out of Central America. The other associate of Green was a former sportsbook executive known as "Powers" that was rumored to steal customer databases from the places he worked at before leaving.
A Point-Spreads.com source stated "I can confirm the sportsbook deal with that Powers guy...a sportsbook started with stolen money..in fact this could be the whole reason for the scam because AJ is too cheap to spend his own money."
As recently as October 22nd, the pair "walked into some place to look at office space and the owner told them to 'get the fuck out' as he knew about the poker scam," stated a second well connected source in Costa Rica. AJ Green, the Absolute Poker Super User scammer, appears to be on the lam with online gambling information website Gambling911.com stating he was last seen in Panama City, Panama. A recent report stated Green was using the services of armed bodyguards after the news broke of his involvement in the scandal. How can a "consultant" making approximately 50k per year afford bodyguards?
"AJ Green seemed like the type of guy you would find in a sportsbook," stated professional poker player Mark Seif in a video on the VegasRaw.tv website today. "He had a free spirit....He liked to party, he had long hair...we certainly did not talk about any hole cards."
Seif went on to state he met AJ Green in Costa Rica twice and that Absolute has already paid out "upwards of over $1 million dollars already" in refunds to online poker players.
Point-Spreads.com first reported that the actual amount of the Absolute Poker Super User scam was approximately $7 million and spans over three years.
"I think this type of incident could have happen on Poker Stars, I think it could have happened at Full Tilt. I think it could happen anywhere. The real issue is how the company handles it after the fact!"
We could not agree more and believe Joe Norton, the former Grand Chief of the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake and the 100% owner of Absolute Poker parent company Tokwiro Enterprises ENRG will do the right thing in this situation which thrusts his Indian tribe directly into the internet gambling spotlight. Norton releases a statement about the Super User Account Scandal to all registered account Absolute Poker accountholders on October 21st, 2007.
The online poker giant has the funds to survive this storm and we believe all players that were effected will be reimbursed after an internal audit, an audit by Gaming Associates and a audit by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission are completed. This is anticipated to conclude over the next several weeks. Absolute Poker could actually come out stronger than every if they play their cards right this time around!
Friday, October 26, 2007
ESPN coverage of Absolute Scam/Crooked Online Sportsbook! My Poker Cheating Newsletter Coming Soon!
Well, if ESPN can cover the WSOP championships, why shouldn't they cover the "Online Poker Fraud championships"? According to various reports in the media, there will be an ESPN special about the Absolute Poker Scam sometime next week. This is now clearly the biggest online gambling scandal in history and coverage of it is flooding into the world's major media outlets. Enjoy the show!
It's not only poker that's getting a piece of the online gambling crime market. Sports books are vying for their piece too! First we had the tennis betting scandal involving Betfair. Now we've got some more crooked online action with the thievery at SBG, which goes well with money laundering allegations against several other online gambling companies. When will it all end? Below is the latest on these scams.
Also, I will be offering a subscription poker-cheating newsletter in December. It will cover any and all cheating going on in the world, both in brick and mortar cardrooms and online. More about that soon.
Absolute Poker, SBG Global Controversies a PR Nightmare
When high ranking officials at Absolute Poker decided to cheat unsuspecting customers, they didn't bank on a "mob mentality" and the mainstream press that followed from such media organizations as MSNBC and ABC.com, just to name a few.
What used to be confined to the industry proper is now big news among media outlets. Years ago, when Sports Market founder Charlie Therwhanger robbed his customers of an estimated $13 mil, the bad press was limited to only a handful of websites that catered exclusively to the online gambling industry. Not one major media outlet took notice.
Today, in the midst of what is arguably the biggest scandal to ever hit the billion dollar industry, the press is paying attention....close attention.
ESPN's Gary Wise is already promising a major expose on the Absolute Poker scandal come later this week. Apparently ESPN has been in contact with customers of another online gambling establishment, this a sportsbook, SBG Global.
A group of players have accused SBG Global of withholding well over $100,000 in winnings. SBG Global contends this group is part of a betting syndicate and joined the gaming firm in violation of its "no syndicate" rule.
"We won't be cheated!" said a high ranking official in the company. "While we rarely have to, we do defend ourselves from this type of group play and it is clearly posted on our website: 'No syndicate or professional betting action allowed'."
It's not only poker that's getting a piece of the online gambling crime market. Sports books are vying for their piece too! First we had the tennis betting scandal involving Betfair. Now we've got some more crooked online action with the thievery at SBG, which goes well with money laundering allegations against several other online gambling companies. When will it all end? Below is the latest on these scams.
Also, I will be offering a subscription poker-cheating newsletter in December. It will cover any and all cheating going on in the world, both in brick and mortar cardrooms and online. More about that soon.
Absolute Poker, SBG Global Controversies a PR Nightmare
When high ranking officials at Absolute Poker decided to cheat unsuspecting customers, they didn't bank on a "mob mentality" and the mainstream press that followed from such media organizations as MSNBC and ABC.com, just to name a few.
What used to be confined to the industry proper is now big news among media outlets. Years ago, when Sports Market founder Charlie Therwhanger robbed his customers of an estimated $13 mil, the bad press was limited to only a handful of websites that catered exclusively to the online gambling industry. Not one major media outlet took notice.
Today, in the midst of what is arguably the biggest scandal to ever hit the billion dollar industry, the press is paying attention....close attention.
ESPN's Gary Wise is already promising a major expose on the Absolute Poker scandal come later this week. Apparently ESPN has been in contact with customers of another online gambling establishment, this a sportsbook, SBG Global.
A group of players have accused SBG Global of withholding well over $100,000 in winnings. SBG Global contends this group is part of a betting syndicate and joined the gaming firm in violation of its "no syndicate" rule.
"We won't be cheated!" said a high ranking official in the company. "While we rarely have to, we do defend ourselves from this type of group play and it is clearly posted on our website: 'No syndicate or professional betting action allowed'."
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
How Long Has it Been Going?/Super User Account
According to these articles it's a couple of years. There really is no way to tell. My first thought was that it probably dates back longer than that, but then again I can't really say. The real question is whether it has been going on with other sites. Well, let's put it this way: if it has, the crooked employees behind it have been a little more discreet in their cheating. Remember, if you're seeing players' hole cards you don't have to play that way every hand. Apparently, those cheaters on Absolute Poker played their clandestine knowledge to perfection every hand, not something you should do but something that's hard to avoid in tournament play. So the real REAL question is: what about the cash games?
How Long Has Absolute Scam Been Operating?
Published: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 Online-Casinos.com
HOW LONG HAS THE ABSOLUTE POKER SCAM BEEN OPERATING?
Insider sources claim cheating has been happening for 3 years, earning the culprits millions
The well connected and informed gambling information portal Point-Spread.com made further serious revelations in the Absolute Poker scandal Monday, claiming that unidentified sources have revealed a greater web of deceit than just one tournament.
Webmaster Tommy Jensen quotes sources in Costa Rica who say that the cheating scam has been ongoing for the past three years and the actual amount that was skimmed from online poker players could be as much as $7 million. The actual amount is still unknown as an internal audit is underway.
Jensen says a former employee of Absolute Poker confirmed to Point-Spreads.com that the security department at AP suspected something years ago but were told it was just the owners testing out the system and to forget about it. AJ Green (see previous Online-Casinos.com/InfoPowa reports) is alleged to have been involved in the scam and employees of Absolute Poker are prepared to implicate him, apparently.
Meanwhile, the 911 portal continued to publish what appear to be damage control reports from its sources, who claim that Absolute Poker takes in between $1.5 million and $2 million a day in gross revenues. "Absolute Poker will survive this (scandal)," the unnamed source predicted. "There are about a hundred investors in the company to ensure this happens."
911 reports that, contrary to reports that a band of college fraternity brothers started Absolute Poker in 2003, it was in fact started by a Las Vegas-resident college grad named Scott Tom with financing from his father. Tom subsequently brought other college friends into the business. Tom, who has since dropped out of sight, is believed to have resided in Panama City and Costa Rica.
"They (AJ Green and Scott Tom) are not talking to investors," the source told 911. "But Absolute Poker does not need Scott Tom. There is a strong management team in place with hundreds of employees." Other investors in the poker site include former employees of the Nine.com operation which now belongs to VIP.com.
No Such Thing as Super User in Absolute Poker Case
A representative speaking on behalf of Absolute Poker tells Gambling911.com "a super user account does not exist".
A report in eGaming Today suggests likewise:
Many people have suggested that there are "super user" accounts or account types that are able to see hole cards. Perhaps such accounts are not able to play, only observe tables -- the account #363 found observing POTRIPPER. Some people have gone so far to suggest such an account has legitimate purpose, for testing or fraud detection.
There is absolutely no legitimate purpose for any account nor any back office system to be able to view hole cards of a hand while it is in play. Creating such a feature would be an enormous breach of ethics and security. The existence of such a feature would be a huge temptation for insider cheating.
Fraud and collusion detection systems work off hand histories, compiled upon completion of a hand. Never should it be possible to compile a hand history of a hand in-progress.
Absolute Poker is in the midst of a public relations nightmare they can't seem to wake up from following an "internal breach" where they claim an employee was able to review other players hole cards during live tournament play. Various sleuths in the online poker sector insist that at least one former Absolute Poker founder was involved in the scheme. Absolute has promised compensation to all affected players and a thorough audit by an outside firm.
While super users may not exist, there is a market for robot poker players that places the game in serious jeopardy.
Bots and Online Poker
"Insider cheating" is nothing new to the online poker world. One of the original Internet poker websites, Paradise Poker, was long suspected of incorporating robots into poker games prior to being purchased by Sportingbet. The early bots were used to make the poker rooms seem more busy than they actually were.
But there are individuals looking to cash in using these bots.
There is actually a market for poker robots that sell for just under $50 (we won't disclose where).
Here is how one such company describes its product:
Human Poker players have two major flaws. One is emotion. Part of the key to good Poker is keeping your emotions in check. In a live game you can give away 'tells' or get upset and start playing poorly. This is often called 'steaming' or going 'on tilt'. Greed and over-confidence when the cards are going your way can be just as bad. Computers don't have this problem, giving them a natural advantage since they will always play their 'best' game. The other major flaw is lack of patience. People play too many hands before the flop, throwing money away with hands that should have been folded. Poker Robot waits for only the very best hands!
What occurred at Absolute Poker is really just the tip of the iceberg. The online poker community has put the word out that they are no longer going to tolerate any more monkey business, whether it's a robot, low level employee or someone very high up on the food chain of the Internet poker room (i.e. one of the owners).
But robots have been a part of the online poker landscape for some time.
Phil Robinson of the Mail on Sunday pointed this out back in 2005:
"If you're a poker player, this is merely unethical. But if you're an executive or shareholder in one of the top poker websites, the advent of programs that play for you is very bad news indeed. Online poker is a £3bn-a-year industry - £3m is gambled on online poker every day in Britain alone (we're now the fifth biggest gambling country in the world). But this depends on the punters knowing they're getting a fair game. When they're up against expertly programmed computer players, then they are, quite emphatically, not. And if these programs evolve as fast as the experts predict, online poker is nothing more than a busted flush.
"One expert in this powerful new software, 'Chopper', tells me, 'It's amazing to think of how much we gamble on online poker sites - mainly because there is no such thing as a fair game of online poker. It just doesn't exist. The game is completely corrupt; it has zero integrity. Online players are secretly using every means at their disposal to fleece you --and at the forefront of their campaign is the use of poker robots. When all this becomes public knowledge, the amateurs will leave and the game will die.'"
How Long Has Absolute Scam Been Operating?
Published: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 Online-Casinos.com
HOW LONG HAS THE ABSOLUTE POKER SCAM BEEN OPERATING?
Insider sources claim cheating has been happening for 3 years, earning the culprits millions
The well connected and informed gambling information portal Point-Spread.com made further serious revelations in the Absolute Poker scandal Monday, claiming that unidentified sources have revealed a greater web of deceit than just one tournament.
Webmaster Tommy Jensen quotes sources in Costa Rica who say that the cheating scam has been ongoing for the past three years and the actual amount that was skimmed from online poker players could be as much as $7 million. The actual amount is still unknown as an internal audit is underway.
Jensen says a former employee of Absolute Poker confirmed to Point-Spreads.com that the security department at AP suspected something years ago but were told it was just the owners testing out the system and to forget about it. AJ Green (see previous Online-Casinos.com/InfoPowa reports) is alleged to have been involved in the scam and employees of Absolute Poker are prepared to implicate him, apparently.
Meanwhile, the 911 portal continued to publish what appear to be damage control reports from its sources, who claim that Absolute Poker takes in between $1.5 million and $2 million a day in gross revenues. "Absolute Poker will survive this (scandal)," the unnamed source predicted. "There are about a hundred investors in the company to ensure this happens."
911 reports that, contrary to reports that a band of college fraternity brothers started Absolute Poker in 2003, it was in fact started by a Las Vegas-resident college grad named Scott Tom with financing from his father. Tom subsequently brought other college friends into the business. Tom, who has since dropped out of sight, is believed to have resided in Panama City and Costa Rica.
"They (AJ Green and Scott Tom) are not talking to investors," the source told 911. "But Absolute Poker does not need Scott Tom. There is a strong management team in place with hundreds of employees." Other investors in the poker site include former employees of the Nine.com operation which now belongs to VIP.com.
No Such Thing as Super User in Absolute Poker Case
A representative speaking on behalf of Absolute Poker tells Gambling911.com "a super user account does not exist".
A report in eGaming Today suggests likewise:
Many people have suggested that there are "super user" accounts or account types that are able to see hole cards. Perhaps such accounts are not able to play, only observe tables -- the account #363 found observing POTRIPPER. Some people have gone so far to suggest such an account has legitimate purpose, for testing or fraud detection.
There is absolutely no legitimate purpose for any account nor any back office system to be able to view hole cards of a hand while it is in play. Creating such a feature would be an enormous breach of ethics and security. The existence of such a feature would be a huge temptation for insider cheating.
Fraud and collusion detection systems work off hand histories, compiled upon completion of a hand. Never should it be possible to compile a hand history of a hand in-progress.
Absolute Poker is in the midst of a public relations nightmare they can't seem to wake up from following an "internal breach" where they claim an employee was able to review other players hole cards during live tournament play. Various sleuths in the online poker sector insist that at least one former Absolute Poker founder was involved in the scheme. Absolute has promised compensation to all affected players and a thorough audit by an outside firm.
While super users may not exist, there is a market for robot poker players that places the game in serious jeopardy.
Bots and Online Poker
"Insider cheating" is nothing new to the online poker world. One of the original Internet poker websites, Paradise Poker, was long suspected of incorporating robots into poker games prior to being purchased by Sportingbet. The early bots were used to make the poker rooms seem more busy than they actually were.
But there are individuals looking to cash in using these bots.
There is actually a market for poker robots that sell for just under $50 (we won't disclose where).
Here is how one such company describes its product:
Human Poker players have two major flaws. One is emotion. Part of the key to good Poker is keeping your emotions in check. In a live game you can give away 'tells' or get upset and start playing poorly. This is often called 'steaming' or going 'on tilt'. Greed and over-confidence when the cards are going your way can be just as bad. Computers don't have this problem, giving them a natural advantage since they will always play their 'best' game. The other major flaw is lack of patience. People play too many hands before the flop, throwing money away with hands that should have been folded. Poker Robot waits for only the very best hands!
What occurred at Absolute Poker is really just the tip of the iceberg. The online poker community has put the word out that they are no longer going to tolerate any more monkey business, whether it's a robot, low level employee or someone very high up on the food chain of the Internet poker room (i.e. one of the owners).
But robots have been a part of the online poker landscape for some time.
Phil Robinson of the Mail on Sunday pointed this out back in 2005:
"If you're a poker player, this is merely unethical. But if you're an executive or shareholder in one of the top poker websites, the advent of programs that play for you is very bad news indeed. Online poker is a £3bn-a-year industry - £3m is gambled on online poker every day in Britain alone (we're now the fifth biggest gambling country in the world). But this depends on the punters knowing they're getting a fair game. When they're up against expertly programmed computer players, then they are, quite emphatically, not. And if these programs evolve as fast as the experts predict, online poker is nothing more than a busted flush.
"One expert in this powerful new software, 'Chopper', tells me, 'It's amazing to think of how much we gamble on online poker sites - mainly because there is no such thing as a fair game of online poker. It just doesn't exist. The game is completely corrupt; it has zero integrity. Online players are secretly using every means at their disposal to fleece you --and at the forefront of their campaign is the use of poker robots. When all this becomes public knowledge, the amateurs will leave and the game will die.'"
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