Poker News

Darvin Moon to Attend NFC Championship with Jimmy Buffet, Kenny Chesney

This weekend, the New Orleans Saints will host the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:40pm ET on Sunday and the game will air on Fox. Among those in attendance will be 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event runner-up Darvin Moon.

Moon will be seated in a luxury box in the Louisiana Superdome, home of the Saints, alongside several top-tier names. Headlining the list is singer Jimmy Buffet, whose bevy of hit singles include "Margaritaville," "Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude," "Cheeseburger in Paradise," and "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," which he recorded with country superstar Alan Jackson. Buffet’s career has spanned 40 years and resulted in a bevy of chart-topping hits. He even has his own restaurant chain, Margaritaville, which has a location inside the Flamingo on the Las Vegas Strip.

Speaking of country music, Kenny Chesney will also be seated in the same suite as Moon, according to Saints officials. Chesney, from East Tennessee, has been cranking out hits since 1993. He struck it big in the late 1990s with "She's Got It All" and then released two more hit singles before the decade was through, "How Forever Feels" and "You Had Me from Hello.” In the 2000s, Chesney became a staple of the country music scene, pumping out memorable tunes like "Young," "The Good Stuff," "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems,” and "Living in Fast Forward." His 2009 hit "Out Last Night" hit number one on the U.S. country charts.

Not all of Moon’s new pals hail from the world of music. Joining Moon, Buffet, and Chesney will be Avery Johnson, the head coach of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks since 2004. Johnson, the NBA Coach of the Year in 2006, saw his team fall to the Miami Heat in that year’s NBA Finals. Johnson won a championship ring in 1999 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. In fact, the Spurs retired his number in 2007 and the current Mavericks coach became a member of the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame one year ago.

Wrapping up Moon’s star-studded company is Ronnie Lott. A standout from the University of Southern California (USC), Lott was drafted in 1981 and spent most of his career with the San Francisco 49ers. Lott is a four-time Super Bowl Champion and became a member of the illustrious Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in 2000. He briefly joined the broadcast team of the “NFL on Fox” in the mid-1990s and currently resides in California. Lott is one of the top defensive players in NFL history and rounds out Moon’s cheering section during Sunday’s encounter.

The Saints received a first-round bye in the NFL playoffs and pummeled Kurt Warner and the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals last weekend by a final score of 45-14. Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns as the team cruised to victory. Brees led the NFL in touchdowns during the 16-game regular season with 34, one more than Minnesota Vikings signal caller Brett Favre and Indianapolis Colts gunslinger Peyton Manning. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will likely have the call for Fox from New Orleans.

The Saints’ opponent, the Minnesota Vikings, flattened the Dallas Cowboys last week and also received a first-round bye in the post-season. Favre, whose decision whether to retire or play has dominated off-season headlines for the last half-decade, threw for 4,202 yards and 33 touchdowns during the NFL regular season. He hasn’t tossed an interception since December 20th and has just nine turnovers all season. Favre is 40 years-old and played college ball at Southern Mississippi.

No in game or on air recognition of Moon is planned, according to Saints media relations staff.

Matt Keikoan Wins WSOP Lake Tahoe Circuit Event Championship

A cozy field of just 64 players turned out for the $5,150 buy-in World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit Event Championship at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe. In the end, bracelet winner Matt Keikoan emerged victorious from the pack and earned $106,000.

Last November, there were 132 entrants in the Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Circuit Championship, meaning that attendance in 2009 was sliced in half. Nevertheless, the $106,000 payday for Keikoan also marked a return home. He told tournament officials after play had concluded, “I live only about three hours away from here. I used to come here all the time on vacation when I was a kid. I really love it here at Lake Tahoe.” Keikoan captured his bracelet during the 2008 WSOP in a $2,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event, defeating online poker whiz Shannon Shorr heads-up in a final table that also included J.C. Tran, Alex Bolotin, Chris Bjorin, and Theo Tran.

Keikoan was sixth in chips entering the final table, with the remaining field looking up at bracelet winner David Woo. However, Keikoan battled through an eight-hour session that saw the field trimmed from nine to two and found himself as a 5:1 chip leader against Justin Hallstrom heads-up. In the final hand of the Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Circuit Event Championship, Keikoan called Hallstrom’s all-in with A-K; Hallstrom held just A-3. The flop came king-high, keeping Keikoan in the lead for good in the hand and shipping him the $106,000 first place prize. All was not lost for Hallstrom, however, who earned $56,000 for second place. Here’s how the field shook out in the Nevada casino:

1. Matt Keikoan (San Rafael, California) – $106,435
2. Justin Hallstrom (Lodi, California) – $56,886
3. John Goodger (Montreal, Quebec) – $39,820
4. Ari Engel (Las Vegas, Nevada) – $28,144
5. Tommy Vedes (Las Vegas, Nevada)- $21,557
6. Roger Sippl (Woodside, California) – $17,066
7. David Woo (Atlanta, Georgia) – $13,174
8. Tim Davey (Morgan Hill, California) – $9,581
9. John McNeilly (San Francisco, California) – $6,737

Tommy Vedes is fresh off a win in the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) Festa al Lago Main Event, which saw him bank $1.2 million. The seven-figure payday came on the heels of a $352,000 take for placing 19th in the 2009 WSOP Main Event, which wrapped up two weeks ago with 21 year-old Joe Cada earning $8.5 million. “Bodog” Ari Engel scooped a WSOP Circuit gold ring in 2007 after winning a $300 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event at Caesars Atlantic City for $63,000. He claimed his second ring by winning a $1,060 buy-in Heads-Up No Limit Hold’em event for $22,000 in April, besting Adam White.

Due to the small field size in Lake Tahoe, only the top nine finishers (the final table) made the money. The distinction of bubble boy went to Steve Kujubu of Sacramento, California, who landed in 10th place and walked away empty-handed. A total of 18 events played out during the WSOP’s Circuit stop at Harvey’s, which generated 2,664 total entries and a healthy $1.1 million in prize money. Last year, 2,163 players threw their hats into the ring, although only 13 events were held.

The WSOP Circuit staff will now take a well-deserved break for Thanksgiving before heading to Harrah’s Atlantic City. The poker tournaments in the East Coast casino kick off on December 4th with a $340 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event. The Championship tournament comes with a buy-in of $5,150 and begins on December 13th, the 10th of 17 events on the docket. Last year, Brent “Astrolux85” Roberts defeated Phillip Reed in the finale of the WSOP Circuit stop at Harrah’s Atlantic City.

Greg Sessler Wins Ladies Championship at Lake Tahoe WSOP Circuit Stop

The latter part of the 2009 calendar year has seen at least two Ladies events won by males during major tournament series. During September’s Borgata Poker Open, Abraham Korotki emerged victorious in a $300 buy-in Ladies No Limit Hold’em event. This weekend, Greg Sessler took down the Ladies Championship during the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit stop at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe.

According to a press release distributed by WSOP officials on Sunday, the Circuit’s Lake Tahoe stop has seen more females take down tournaments (six) than any other venue. Over the weekend, the Nevada city saw a male earn the “W” in a Ladies event. How could this happen, you ask? Tournament officials explained, “The WSOP isn’t a political organization and can’t be expected to get involved in debates about sexism, discrimination, or other polarizing issues which may be applicable to poker tournaments.” If males wish to enter a ladies tournament, it is technically within their right to do so. Sessler is a 22 year-old student at the University of California at Davis.

A total of four men entered the Lake Tahoe Ladies Championship, which boasted a $340 buy-in, and Sessler’s victory was worth $9,900. Ninety-six players turned out in total and Sessler told tournament staff that he entered because he had a day off and wanted to play some cards. The one-day event saw the assembled field erupt into a chorus of clapping when each male was eliminated. Sessler explained after the fact, “I came here because I only had one day and I really like the structures and the payout. This was the only tournament I could play.”

Sessler defeated Mimi Kalem heads-up after Kalem shoved at an inopportune time with Q-6, as Sessler peeked down at pocket queens. Kalem hit a six on the flop for a glimmer of hope, but the board bricked out and gave Sessler the upset victory over the mostly female field. Kalem earned $5,300 for her runner-up showing, about $1,600 more than Corinn “Princess” Ignatieff received for third. Here were the final paydays from the Harvey’s Lake Tahoe WSOP Circuit Ladies Championship:

1. Greg Sessler (Danville, California) – $9,932
2. Mimi Kalem (Cameron Park, California) – $5,308
3. Corinn Ignatieff (Templeton, California) – $3,715
4. Candy Alexander (Cameron Park, California) – $2,626
5. Linda Peverini (Clovis, California) – $2,100
6. Tera Brown (Austin, Texas) – $1,592
7. Persia Bonella (Castro Valley, California) – $1,229
8. Rebecca Burnside (San Francisco, California) – $894
9. Rose Erhart (Ione, California) – $629

Expanding on the tournament series’ stance towards male entrants in female events, the same WSOP press release remarked, “While the WSOP… offers quasi-exclusive tournaments designed to increase female participation in the game, officials generally do not turn away those who want to play in the event based solely on gender.”

The $5,150 buy-in Lake Tahoe WSOP Circuit Main Event kicks off on November 15th and will crown a winner two days later. Over $1.3 million in prize money has been awarded in the series’ 17 events held so far, with more than 2,600 entries recorded. Last November, Ultimate Bet sponsored pro Michael Binger tasted victory in the Lake Tahoe Championship event, earning $181,000 after outlasting Ty Stewart heads-up. A total of 132 players showed up.

Two months ago, Korotki defeated breast cancer patient Nicole Rowe heads-up at the Borgata. Rowe, who could have used the extra cash for mounting medical bills, fell short of the $20,000 first place payday and 269 players entered. In response, Korotki stated that he would donate a portion of his winnings to a charity involving breast cancer.

Celebrity Apprentice 3 Cast May Not Feature Poker Players

In 2010, the third installment of the NBC reality franchise “Celebrity Apprentice” will hit television airwaves. The show, which featured comedian Joan Rivers best poker pro Annie Duke in the finale last time out, will likely not include a poker player this time around.

Ever since Duke finished as the runner-up to Rivers in May, the poker community has been abuzz that one of its own may appear in the third edition of the popular series. However, according to Huliq.com and the New York Post, the ensemble cast, which will likely once again pit men against women, does not appear to include a poker player. No official cast list has been released by NBC. The show is hosted by real estate mogul Donald Trump and raises money for charity.

Last season, Duke played for Refugees International, an organization that she worked closely with as part of her own charity, Ante Up for Africa. In the process, the poker community was instrumental in raising $730,000 for the charity. Poker players who made cameos throughout the season included Ultimate Bet front man Phil Hellmuth, Andy Bloch, Howard Lederer, 2009 Poker Hall of Fame nominee Erik Seidel, and Perry Friedman.

Embattled politician Rod Blagojevich headlines the “Celebrity Apprentice” cast in Season 3. His wife, Patty Blagojevich, appeared on NBC’s “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here” when Rod was unable to attend due to ongoing legal action. Blagojevich is the former Governor of Illinois and was impeached in January for, among other misgivings, allegedly trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by current U.S. President Barack Obama.

Joining Blagojevich on the men’s team will be another controversial celebrity, former baseball great Darryl Strawberry, a member of the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and New York Yankees. Strawberry exited the league in 1999 and was the National League Rookie of the Year 16 years earlier. Chef Curtis Stone will join the “Celebrity Apprentice” cast, as will popular comedian Sinbad, whose credits include “A Different World” and “The Sinbad Show.” He has also appeared in movies such as “First Kid” and “Jingle All the Way.”

Former professional wrestler Bill Goldberg, who stormed onto World Championship Wrestling (WCW) scene with an undefeated streak in the late 1990s, will be a part of the new “Celebrity Apprentice” cast. Rounding out the men’s team is “Rock of Love” star Bret Michaels, who is also known for his work with the band Poison.

The women’s team features “America’s Got Talent” judge Sharon Osborne, whose fellow judge on the show, Piers Morgan, was the winner of Season 1 of “Celebrity Apprentice.” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Time After Time” signer Cyndi Lauper will join the squad. Olympic gold medalist Summer Sanders, who took down hardware in swimming in 1992, will also make her way to New York City to film “Celebrity Apprentice.” There, actress Holly Robinson Peete, wife of former NFL great Rodney Peete, will join her.

World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) Maria Kanellis will also be a part of “Celebrity Apprentice,” as will comedian Carol Leifer, who has written scripts for hits like “Seinfeld” and “The Larry Sanders Show.” Finally, Selita Ebanks, a model, will round out the new cast.

The names of more cast members may be released, but for the meantime, it appears that the poker community will not be a part of the upcoming season of “Celebrity Apprentice.” Over on CBS, Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho, the last women standing in the 2008 and 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Events, respectively, are competing as part of the Emmy Award winning reality series “Amazing Race.” The show airs at 8:00pm ET on Sundays and viewers will see the poker playing duo race around Dubai, United Arab Emirates on this week’s edition.

The Post reported that the “Celebrity Apprentice” cast was seen recording the opening credits in the Meatpacking District of New York City and that the show would begin airing in March.

Motion in Online Poker Seizure May Be Decided Next Week

The motion by Costigan Media to unseal the warrants and affidavits associated with the seizure of over $30 million in online poker funds may be ruled on next week. Lawyers for the parent company of Gambling911 and the U.S. Government took to a New York courtroom on Monday.

The funds in question belonged to a Wells Fargo branch in San Francisco and were part of a seizure that affected over 24,000 online poker players. Costigan Media’s motion notes, “Although the warrant was issued a month ago and although the funds are now safely under the control of the government and in no danger of dissipation, the affidavit submitted in support of the warrant still remains under seal. So do any supporting documents relating to this Court’s decision to seal the warrant application.” FBI Special Agent Dana Conte swore to the affidavit, while Magistrate Judge Theodore Katz issued the warrant.

Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) Executive Director Joe Brennan, who spoke to Costigan Media representatives following Monday’s hearing, told Poker News Daily, “The judge had a hard time understanding why she should keep a warrant sealed after it’s been served. She said that she could understand the Government not wanting to reveal names of informants, but other than that, she didn’t understand why it should be kept sealed.” Following the hearing, attorneys for the U.S. Government met with the judge for an hour and 15 minutes behind closed doors. A decision should be handed down next week.

Many in the industry have expressed concern about the contents of the warrants and affidavits. However, according to Brennan, they are important in order to prevent future seizures by the Southern District of New York and other bodies: “The Government has seized $40 million from payment processors, but it’s actually online poker players’ money. No one knows why the Government did it. I think the players would want to know why their money has been seized. It’s better to know if the Southern District of New York will go after more money.”

Costigan Media, which owns the popular website Gambling911, filed a motion to open the warrants and affidavits associated with the seizure citing First Amendment rights. Brennan explained, “After a warrant is served, it’s supposed to be public record. The Government wants to keep it secret for some reason. That’s a violation of everyone’s rights.” Costigan Media’s motion cites cases involving other media outlets such as the Baltimore Sun, New York Times, Newsday, and Gannett, the latter of which publishes 84 daily newspapers in the United States.

At the helm of Costigan Media is Chris Costigan, who was upbeat following yesterday’s hearing. Brennan noted that the judge did not look down upon Gambling911 bringing a complaint under the First Amendment. Instead, she carefully tried to ascertain why the Government would want to keep documents under wraps. Brennan revealed, “The fact that the judge did not look down at Costigan Media doing business as Gambling911 was encouraging. Instead, she thought, ‘I have a media outlet that is making a First Amendment application and am taking them very seriously.’”

The United States Government cited “law enforcement concerns” as a contributing factor to keeping the seal on the warrants and affidavits. It also charged that First Amendment rights do not apply to seizure warrant applications. Now, it will be up to the judge in the case to decide if the reasons for the online poker funds seizure in early June will be brought into the public spotlight.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for more information.

Hearing to Occur Monday in Online Poker Funds Seizure

On Monday, Costigan Media, the parent company of Gambling911, will present its case as part of a hearing to determine whether the warrants and affidavits used to seize over $30 million in online poker player funds should be unsealed.

In its original filing, Costigan Media outlined the central focus of the case: “Resolution of this issue will require the Court to define the scope of the public’s and the media’s First Amendment and common law rights of access to judicial documents.” The Government’s response brief asserts that the media organization “has not cited a single decision in any federal court granting a motion to unseal a seizure warrant affidavit while a criminal investigation is ongoing.” Most notably, the Government notes, “The interest of the public and the Government in avoiding interference with an ongoing criminal investigation and ongoing seizures of forfeitable assets outweighs the minimal interference with the public’s ability to access these documents.” It gives no indication as to when a criminal investigation will be completed and what its scope is.

A warrant for funds held in a Wells Fargo branch was filed on June 2nd. Twenty-two days later and 12 days removed from the actual seizure, a warrant was filed to freeze funds in a Union Bank branch. In each case, Dana Conte, an FBI Special Agent, swore to the affidavits. Addressing whether Costigan Media’s First Amendment rights apply, the Government’s brief asserts, “No court in the Second Circuit has held that there is a First Amendment qualified right to access seized warrant affidavits while an investigation is ongoing.”

Online poker players may have reason to fear future seizures as a result of language contained in the Government’s document. In a section entitled “Law enforcement concerns justify keeping the seizure warrant affidavits sealed,” U.S. attorneys explain, “Unsealing the Conte Warrant Affidavits would interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation and the Government’s ability to identify and seize forfeitable assets.” The Government’s filing was submitted on July 20th and is signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Alberts. Nearly 20 cases are cited throughout its 12 pages, including legal actions involving the Globe Newspaper, Hartford Courant, San Francisco Chronicle, Baltimore Sun, New York Times, and Newsday.

On July 22nd, attorneys for Costigan Media filed a rebuttal brief after having time to absorb the Government’s arguments. In it, the parent company of Gambling911 claims that motions to unseal documents have occurred after a warrant has been executed, but before a criminal investigation has been brought. Its attorneys cite United States v. Cabal, a case in which the court “held that a presumption of access applied to warrant applications even while the investigation was still continuing.” The company also cites cases involving Semtex Industrial Corporation and L.S. Starrett Company as examples of warrants being unsealed.

The law firm of Arent Fox represents Costigan Media, led by attorneys Baruch Weiss and Matthew Trokenheim. Regarding law enforcement concerns, Costigan Media admits, “Law enforcement concerns can be a compelling interest that can overcome a presumption of access if the restriction on access is narrowly tailored to serve that interest. However, the Government has not asserted a sufficiently compelling case for that interest. Nor has it explained how denying access is narrowly tailored.”

The reasons behind the Southern District of New York’s seizure of online poker funds remain unknown. One of the payment processors affected, Account Services, has already filed a motion for the return of property, namely $13 million seized by the Government. To aid Account Services, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) has filed a motion to submit an amicus brief focusing on how poker is a game of skill and therefore not illegal gambling. Costigan Media’s motion was filed in the Southern District Court of New York, while Account Services’ was filed in the Southern District Court of California.

2009 WSOP Main Event Field Combines on Friday for Day 3

Due to the large crowds that turned out for the final two Day Ones in the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, there were 2,924 players that congregated throughout the Rio at the start of play on Wednesday.

WSOP officials were concerned that there wouldn’t be enough eliminations to be able to allow everyone to be seated in the Amazon Room when the Main Event begins Day 3 on Friday. Adding into those fears was that Day 2B would only be playing four levels of action to be able to mesh up with Day 2A (which had played five levels on Tuesday).

After the four scheduled levels had been completed, all questions were comfortably answered. In a stunning development, out of the 2,924 players who started Day 2B, more than half the field was ejected from the Rio; only 1,437 survived the day. Combining those players with the Day 2A group of 607 survivors means that 2,044 players will take to the felts for Day 3 on Friday.

Troy Weber, who ended up as the overall chip leader once the four Day Ones were completed, continued to play excellent poker and paced himself over the course of the day on Wednesday. While he was “only” able to move his stack up to 453,200, it was good enough to land him in third place on the overall leaderboard. Although no first day leader has ever gone on to win the $10,000 Main Event at the WSOP, Weber seems to be in good shape to break that curse.

Leading the 2,044 player field that remains is San Francisco’s Amir Lehavot, who is stacked with 610,500 in chips. After starting the day with only 80,000, Lehavot earned a large portion of his chips in a hand he played right after a table change. “Thirty minutes before we ended for the day, I had a huge hand,” Lehavot recalled to WSOP officials. “I had just moved to this table and sat down with about 350,000 in chips. There was this other big stack that had 250,000. I had pocket threes and flopped a set against his high pocket pair.”

Lehavot has a host of professionals to contend with. Former World Champions who are still alive include Bobby Baldwin, Phil Hellmuth, Jim Bechtel, Dan Harrington, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Carlos Mortensen, Greg Raymer, Joe Hachem, and defending champion Peter Eastgate, who had to fight from the felt during Day 2B to remain alive. Eastgate enters Day 3 with an average stack.

Even with all of the champions still alive, 2009 double bracelet winner Phil Ivey continues to demonstrate why he is considered one of the best in the game. Sitting on 346,200 in chips, the Full Tilt Poker pro is in the Top 20 on the leaderboard and is making strides to claim the WSOP Main Event as his third bracelet of 2009. Other bracelet winners from this year’s tournament schedule still battling include Jeffrey Lisandro, Ville Wahlbeck, Vitaly Lunkin, and Greg “FBT” Mueller.

Thursday is well-deserved day off for the 2,044 Main Event gladiators. The media charity event, set up to play in a Dream Team Poker format, will take center stage today. After today’s rest and relaxation, the drive to the final table will take place over the next week. By July 15th, we will know who the next members of the “November Nine” are.

Costigan Media Files Suit to Open Warrant in Online Poker Funds Seizure

Amid the fanfare of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in Las Vegas, Costigan Media, the parent company of Gambling911, has filed suit to open warrants in the case involving the seizure of $30 million in online poker player funds by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District. It is the first legal action brought after the Southern District acted in June.

The reason for the Federal Government’s seizure remains a mystery. In the past, media outlets have been authorized to file legal action in matters of public record. Costigan Media’s filing notes, “Resolution of this issue will require the Court to define the scope of the public’s and the media’s First Amendment and common law rights of access to judicial documents.” The Southern District seized well over $30 million last month, adversely affecting more than 24,000 online poker players. Many rooms reimbursed players for difficulties cashing out and, in some cases, awarded an extra 10% cash bonus for any inconvenience.

Costigan Media is seeking the unsealing of the warrant, the affidavit for the warrant, and any other relevant documents that remain under wraps. The warrant in question was used to seize funds from a Wells Fargo branch in San Francisco, California on June 2nd. Magistrate Judge Theodore Katz signed the document, with an affidavit sworn to by Dana Conte, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent. Costigan Media’s filing reveals that Katz stated, “I am satisfied that there is probable cause to believe that the property so described is subject to seizure and civil forfeiture.” The parent company of Gambling911 added that the order sealing the warrant is also sealed, further complicating the situation. Funds were held in account 7986104185 under the name Account Services. The case is numbered 09-MAG-1320.

Gambling911 boasts affiliate links for UltimateBet, Players Only, Doyle’s Room, Absolute Poker, and a host of online sports betting sites. Noticeably absent are Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars, two of the heaviest hit sites by the funds seizure. Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) Executive Director Joe Brennan told Poker News Daily, “The government can’t even make a substantive claim that Gambling911 is acting on its own financial interest because of its own affiliate marketing. Instead, they want the news and opportunity.”

The court filing also questions, “The narrow but important issue presented in this case is whether the well-established First Amendment and common law rights to public proceedings and access to documents that ordinarily apply to judicial documents extend to a civil seizure warrant that has already been executed, but where no criminal charges have been brought.” On the media conglomerate’s chances of successfully opening the seizure warrants, Brennan told Poker News Daily, “It depends on who does the asking and where they do the asking. This is a little different in that there’s not a lot of precedent for new media outlets. It is a little groundbreaking for them to be doing this, but the precedent varies from district to district.”

Costigan Media also questions the reason for document being sealed. It speculates that “secrecy in ongoing investigations to protect confidential sources,” and “concerns of all of the un-indicted parties implicated by the Conte Affidavit” may be to blame. The company explains, “The public’s interest in criminal prosecutions should not be held hostage by a government’s blanket unsupported assertion of confidentiality or privacy concerns.” Brennan noted that the legal matter will take at least 10 days, which may be elongated by the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend in the United States.

Costigan Media is represented by Baruch Weiss and Matthew Trokenheim of Arent Fox in New York City. The action is dated July 2nd, just one day before the start of the 2009 WSOP Main Event from the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The $10,000 buy-in tournament kicks off today with the first of four starting days.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest news surrounding the online poker funds seizure.

Jamie Gold to Host Cannes Charity Poker Tournament

On May 17th during the Cannes Film Festival on the French Riviera, the Wilhelm and Karl Maybach Foundation and Sunflower Children Foundation will team up to offer a charity poker tournament featuring “Rounders” star Edward Norton and 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Jamie Gold.

The tournament kicks off at 10:30pm local time and will be held at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc (Cap d'Antibes). Norton appeared in 1998’s “Rounders,” a film that caused many established pros in the game today to become aware of No Limit Texas Hold’em. Also starring in the poker classic were Gretchen Mol, John Malkovich, and John Turturro. Norton appeared in subsequent hits such as “Fight Club,” “Keeping the Faith,” “Red Dragon,” “Death to Smoochy,” “The Italian Job,” “The Illusionist,” and held the title role in “The Incredible Hulk,” which was released in 2008. Previous events held by the Maybach Foundation have included appearances by Dennis Hopper, Quincy Jones, Kirk Douglas, and Naomi Campbell.

Serving as the event’s emcee in Cannes will be Gold, who took home $12 million after winning poker’s most prestigious tournament three years ago, defeating Paul Wasicka heads-up. A press release distributed this week revealed that Gold has helped raise over $100 million for charity during the past two years. The winner of the Cannes poker tournament will take home a 2009 WSOP Main Event prize package, including the $10,000 buy-in to the high-stakes tournament, hotel accommodation, airfare, and private coaching from Gold.

On May 18th, which is the day after the fundraiser with Norton and Gold, the Maybach Foundation will hold a private luncheon featuring a bevy of celebrities. In addition to his monumental finish in the 2006 WSOP Main Event, the largest tournament ever held as part of the annual tournament series, Gold took 35th in the 2007 WSOP Europe Main Event for £27,150. That contest was ultimately won by Betfair poker pro Annette "Annette_15" Obrestad, who became the youngest WSOP bracelet winner ever at the age of 18. Heads-up, the youngster defeated fellow Betfair pro John “kunkuwap” Tabatabai and is among the leaders at the ongoing European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo Grand Final.

The Maybach Foundation was founded in 2006 to help “particularly gifted young people reach their full potential by providing an innovative mentoring program and financial support,” according to the press release. The organization focuses on instilling mentoring skills and has offices in San Francisco and Stuttgart. The Sunflower Children Foundation is based in New York and provides aid to disadvantaged children in Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Brazil, Guinea, India, Kenya, South Africa, Nepal, Niger, Nicaragua, Peru, Romania, Guatemala, and the Philippines.

The Cannes Film Festival takes place from May 13th through May 24th in the southern French city. Last year, “The Class” took home the prestigious Palme d'Or prize, while “Gomorrah” grabbed the Grand Prix award. Other accolades given out during the 10 day festival included Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Actress. American actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood took home a “special prize” during last year’s Cannes event. The very first Film Festival was held in 1946 and has taken place every year but twice since.

On May 9th, Gold will bring his charitable spirit to the 1736 Family Crisis Center in Los Angeles. The event is hosted by “Seinfeld” actor Jason Alexander and takes place at Hollywood Casino Park. The 2006 WSOP Main Event winner and former Hollywood talent agent was part of the winning squad in the second Dream Team Poker tournament, which was held at Caesars Palace in March. Besides Gold, other members of Team ACED included Ashley Nataupsky and Houston Waldie. Team ACED pocketed nearly $60,000 for the win. The inaugural Dream Team Poker event was won by Team Bluff, which was headlined by recent WSOP Caesars Palace Circuit Event champion Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo and also included Matt Parvis and Eric Morris.

WSOP Commissioner Pollack Comments On “Celebrity Apprentice”

Earlier this week, the annual World Series of Poker conference call was held, gathering together WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, Tournament Director Jack Effel and producers of tournament broadcasting network ESPN to speak with the media. While many of the questions were regarding the tournament that is set to start May 27th, the subject of poker professional and Poker News Daily guest columnist Annie Duke’s appearance on “Celebrity Apprentice” was surprisingly prominent in the minds of both sides of the conversation.

An article in Tuesday’s edition of the San Francisco Chronicle recounted Commissioner Pollack’s verbal barrage at Duke’s main foil of the reality program, comedienne Joan Rivers. When he was asked the innocent question of whether a woman could win the WSOP Championship Event, Pollack unexpectedly fired off, “We would love to see a woman win the Main Event...unless that woman happens to be Joan Rivers.” This induced a series of questions as to whether Duke’s appearance on the program has helped or hurt poker players in general and the game as a whole.

According to the Chronicle, Pollack believes that Duke has only heightened the appeal of poker and its fans through her appearance on the NBC reality show. “Annie is representing poker players beautifully. I think she’s playing the game masterfully”, Pollack said. “We think the net effect is that it’s going to be very good for poker and for the World Series of Poker.”

Through the run of “Celebrity Apprentice”, Rivers has been the main thorn in Duke’s side of. Verbal disparities comparing Annie to Adolf Hitler, calling the WSOP bracelet holder “white trash” – despite her Ivy League background and education – and lumping poker players in with organized crime and stating that poker players are “scum” playing with “blood money” have been just a few of the gems that the septuagenarian comedienne has fired off. Pollack disagreed by stating, “Anyone who thinks that poker players are anything other than a great group of people, that represent not only America and the world, is absolutely wrong”, he opined. “No one will defend the honor of poker players more than the WSOP.”

Another topic at the forefront of questioning was player conduct in light of last year’s exasperating behavior of two former World Champions, Phil Hellmuth and defending $50K H.O.R.S.E. champion Scotty Nguyen. A look at the rules for this year, echoed by Pollack and TD Effel, indicates that there will be significant changes in place for tournament participants this year. “After the episode with Phil in the Main Event last year, we said publicly we’re going to review our system of warnings and penalties. We have done that”, Pollack flatly stated. “We saw a couple of things last year that we weren’t too pleased with or proud of and recognized that some changes needed to be made.”

Most notable of these changes is a running log of player violations that will be kept for the entirety of the WSOP. Using this log, floor personnel and tournament directors will have the ability to enact penalties on players based on their conduct throughout the entirety of the run of the 55 event schedule. In Pollack’s opinion, this should ensure that repeat offenders will be dealt with, regardless of status.

Action in the fortieth anniversary of the World Series of Poker starts on May 27th with the $500 Casino Employees event. The next day, one of the most significant tournaments on this year’s schedule – the celebratory $40,000 buy in No Limit Hold’em event – will kick off action. After that, we should see how this year’s WSOP will be run, with its stricter conduct rules.

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