WSOP Cash Frozen

Despite wading his way through a field of 8,773 other players to win the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event, Jamie Gold has yet to collect his winnings, and it now looks unlikely he will scoop the full amount of $12 million.

Gold, a former Hollywood agent from Malibu, California, won the biggest ever prize in poker on 10 August at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, but is unable to take delivery of the fortune after a Judge issued a restraining order effectively freezing the cash.

The money will remain unclaimed until the resolution of a lawsuit filed by Bruce Crispin Leyser, a UK-born but Los Angeles based, TV development executive.

The dispute arises over an alleged deal between Gold and Leyser, where Gold promised 50% of his WSOP winnings to Leyser. It is alleged that Gold, whose $10,000 buy-in for the Main Event was supplied by the online poker room and entertainment empire Bodog.com, was approached by Bodog to supply celebrities to play the Main Event in Bodog colours.

Leyser maintains that Gold asked him to help with this task, on the provsio that any winnings that the pair made would be split equally between them.

Gold’s lawyers issued the following statement: "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 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."

While representatives for Leyser insist he has a strong case: "As stated in the lawsuit, we have a recording where Gold gives his word that Leyser will get 50%. As well, in order for us to obtain the temporary restraining order, we had to demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merit of the case. We met that burden."

It is also thought that Leyser has recording of a telephone conversation which took place hours before the final table in which Gold struck the agreement.

The next scheduled development in this multi-million dollar wrangle is set for 1 September, when the preliminaries of the lawsuit begin. We’ll bring you all the news as it happens.