STATEMENT BY WSOP WINNER ON LITIGATION

(349) (26-August-2006)

Jamie Gold 'disappointed' that litigant chose to file suit instead of negotiating a resolution

The 2006 World Series of Poker champion, Jamie Gold issued a statement over the weekend regarding litigation launched by Bruce Crispin Leyser , who claims that he has voicemail messages and other evidence on an pre-main event agreement with Gold to share half of his $12 million winnings in return for recruiting celebrities to endorse Gold's sponsors, the Bodog group.

The case has resulted in Gold's record winnings being frozen pending the outcome of the case (see previous InfoPowa bulletins).
 
Gold's publicist released a statement that hinted that Gold was prepared to negotiate the issue, saying: "Jamie Gold is disappointed that 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."

The statement goes on to express Gold's trust in the American judicial system, where he will present his case rather than in a public exchange of views. It concludes by thanking Harrah's, the WSOP organisers and others involved in his truimph at the final table and expresses the rather irrelevant hope that 'this unfortunate litigation' will not detract from the outstanding efforts of the entire field of participants in the World Series of Poker.

Leyser's suit alleges that as late as the morning of the main event final table game Gold confirmed the 50-50 deal. The complaint claims that Leyser recruited celebrities, upholding his side of the deal.
 
Chief District Court Judge Kathy Hardcastle subsequently issued a restraining order preventing Harrah's from paying Gold his prize pending the first hearing of this lawsuit, which will be September 1st.