Poker Pro Ali Fazeli Pleads Guilty Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme

Submitted by Guest on

Written by :

Guest

Published on :

A poker pro accused of orchestrating a $multimillion SuperBowl ticket scam that victimized the likes of Erik Seidel, John Juanda and Zach Clark has plead guilty to wire fraud. 

Seyed Reza Ali Fazeli (was indicted on wire fraud charges by a federal grand jury in California earlier this year after conning investors out of at least $6.2million.  He gambled away most of the money, according to the complaint.

Seidel and Clark were each fleeced for $500,000, while Juanda invested $300,000 in the scheme.

From PokerTube.com:

California Federal Court documents seen by Cardplayer.com show that Fazeli entered a guilty plea last month, admitting to ‘transferring about $1.8 million of his ill-gotten gains to the Aria casino via cashier’s checks’ according to Brian Pempus.

FBI Special Agent BC Mason earlier stated that, “A large portion of investor funds were used for the personal benefit of Fazeli, including millions spent at Las Vegas casinos,” following Fazeli’s arrest on February 14th for the year-long scam.

Aside from the well-known pros who were taken for an expensive ride, Fazeli was alleged to have conned $5million from a trust for the Sembler family in St Petersburg, while another firm – Ticket Man – claimed to have paid the poker player $2.5million.

- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com

Related Content

Connecticut Former Funeral Director Who Gambled Away Families' Funds Enters Guilty Plea

Connecticut Former Funeral Director Who Gambled Away Families' Funds Enters Guilty Plea

Phillip Pietras, 51, is expected to be sentenced to more than seven years behind bars.
Prosecutors Identify 18 Allegedly Rigged Pitches for Emmanuel Case Trial

Prosecutors Identify 18 Allegedly Rigged Pitches for Emmanuel Clase Trial

Federal prosecutors have identified 18 pitches, including one from a 2024 playoff game, that they allege involved sharing with bettors.
Prostitution, Bestiality and the FBI: Will Congress Act? There's a Bet for That..... But It's Not What You Think

Prostitution, Bestiality and the FBI: Will Congress Act? There's a Bet for That..... But It's Not What You Think

FBI Director Kash Patel defended a hiring policy change Tuesday that allows some applicants who have engaged in prostitution and bestiality to be considered for employment, insisting that the move was made to enable victims of those acts to apply for a job without fear of automatic disqualification.
St. Petersburg Florida Venues Subject of Early Morning Gambling Raids

St. Petersburg Florida Venues Subject of Early Morning Gambling Raids

Action Arcade and The Zoo Sports Club and Grille in St. Petersburg hit as part of “Operation Final Spin.”