Poker Star Phil Ivey has been accused of cheating by a casino in the UK.
The American poker player stands accused of winning millions of dollars by dishonestly playing baccarat at Crockfords casino in London. The Genting Group, the Malaysian company who owns the resort, says the Ivey and an accomplice scammed the casino out of $11.9 million during a handful of games last August.
However, the poker star issued a statement about the allegations on Wednesday. Although he is accused of winning his baccarat millions illegally , Ivey claims this couldn’t be further from the truth.
“The fact that I have issued a lawsuit in the face of what they are alleging says everything about how comfortable I am with my conduct and the validity of my win. Any allegations of wrongdoing by Crockfords are denied by me in the very strongest of terms,” he explained.
According to The Associated Press , the lawsuit in question was filed last month in London’s High Court after the casino failed to pay Ivey his winnings. Crockfords’ response to lawsuit included claims that Ivey had cheated at baccarat during his visit to the resort last year. This is the reason why the company has refused to fork over the cash.
“There’s nothing in his past that would hint at his being a cheater or unethical in any way. People say he’s arguably the best poker player in the world; but, really, there’s no argument,” explained Bluff magazine’s Lance Bradley .
Ivey is accused of knowing which cards were being dealt while playing a baccarat at the casino. Although it’s being reported that the poker star cheated with the help of an accomplice, the specifics of how he managed to accomplish this task are few and far between.
While nothing official has been released by the casino in regards to how Ivey managed to cheat, the Daily Mail reports that a flaw in the manufacturing process may have allowed him to read the cards as they were being dealt.
The website also reports that Ivey’s was accompanied by a Chinese woman who has reportedly been banned from several casinos after being caught using similar tactics. It’s believed that she may have helped the American poker star recognize the cards during play.
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