by Haley Hintze
DUHAMEL BEATEN IN HOME INVASION
2010 WSOP champion Jonathan Duhamel suffered minor injuries after being assaulted in a home invasion robbery. Duhamel, a Canadian who lives in the Montreal borough of Boucherville, answered a late-night doorbell only to be pushed back inside his home by his attackers. Among the items taken were his prized championship bracelet from his 2010 World Series poker victory and a Rolex Submariner watch given to him by his sponsor PokerStars to mark his feat. Both items were engraved with his name and the date of his triumph. Duhamel, who was hospitalized briefly for treatment of his injuries before being released, said: “I won’t deny that these two items have a value much larger than money to me, and I hope with all my heart that we will be able to recover them in the near future.” Duhamel won $8.9 million for his 2010 title and isn’t the only WSOP winner to face a later assault, as 2004 winner Greg Raymer once fended off a pair of armed robbers who attacked him outside a hotel room at the Bellagio.
DEMPSEY BEST AT BELLAGIO
The World Poker Tour’s marquee Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic produced its usual stellar final-table lineup, with James Dempsey fending off Soi Nguyen for the title at the Bellagio. Dempsey pocketed $821,612 after overcoming a sizable Nguyen edge during heads-up play. Nguyen cashed for $517,478, with Vanessa Selbst third for $338,351, Andrew Lichtenberger fourth for $218,933, Vitor Coelho fifth for $159,224, and Antonio Esfandiari sixth for $119,418.
KLODNICKI CLAIMS EPL TITLE
Varying forms of short-handed hold’em were on tap for the new Epic Poker League’s third major tourney and Chris Klodnicki emerged $801,680 richer. Klodnicki triumphed over a 100-player field in an experimental short-handed format that saw between eight and four players at a given table. Klodnicki’s final foe was Andrew Lichtenberger, who collected $514,480 in his second deep tourney run in as many weeks. The other three finalists were Joe Tehan, Michael Mizrachi and Scott Clements.
DOYLE BRUNSON RECEIVES EPL LIFETIME HONOR
Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson added another accolade to his long list of achievements in receiving the Epic Poker League’s firstever lifetime membership. EPL entry qualifications are normally awarded according to several different criteria with a cumulative five-year maximum, with Brunson becoming the first player no longer needing to worry about qualifying.
ABSOLUTE POKER’S BECKLEY PLEADS GUILTY TO ‘BLACK FRIDAY’ CHARGES
Brent Beckley, 31, an American living in Costa Rica, reached an agreement with government prosecutors over individual counts of bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering connected to his role as director of payment processing at Absolute Poker. Beckley will forfeit $300,000 and faces a maximum term of 35 years, though a much shorter term of one or two years is expected. Beckley becomes the fifth of eleven Black Friday defendants to either plead guilty or surrender to American authorities to face trial. Beckley was freed to await his sentencing hearing.
IVEY EX SUES OVER DIVORCE ‘ANOMALIES’
Poker pro Phil Ivey’s 2009 divorce brought a new lawsuit by ex-wife Luciaetta against Phil and prominent Las Vegas gaming attorneys David Chesnoff and John Spilotro. According to a Las Vegas Sun report, Luciaetta Ivey retained Spilotro’s services at the direction of Chesnoff, and the two attorneys and Phil Ivey then conspired to withhold knowledge of certain Ivey assets during the divorce proceedings. Luciaetta Ivey received millions in cash and properties via the original settlement, though a $180,000 monthly payment dependent upon Phil Ivey continuing to receive payments from Full Tilt has ceased. Chesnoff, Spilotro and Phil Ivey were charged with civil conspiracy in the latest lawsuit, with a separate charge of malpractice against Spilotro. Veteran poker-industry writer/editor Haley Hintze is the author of an upcoming book on the Absolute Poker and UltimateBet online cheating scandals, to be released later this year.
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