Two More Prison Sentences in Illegal Poker Ring Case
Two more men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in the Russian-American illegal sports betting and poker ring that the US Department of Justice broke up last April.
A professional poker player and a New York art dealer are the latest to be sent to prison for their roles in an illegal poker ring.
However, he struck a deal last November to plead guilty to a single count of racketeering conspiracy and to forfeit cash and property worth $20 million. Nonetheless, despite the deal Trincher was sentenced to five years in prison.
The art dealer Hillel Nahmad also pled guilty to conducting an illegal gambling business and agreed to handover $6.5 million in cash and property.
Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of 12-18 months, Nahmad’s attorneys asked for probation in exchange for Nahmad sponsoring a program to teach inner city youth about art.
However, the judge ruled that Nahmad was not just “the rich kid who is getting used” but an active member of the ring. He was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, three years’ probation and 300 hours of community service.
So far 29 defendants have pled guilty in this case and there are two more that have entered into deferred prosecution agreements. The group’s ringleader, Alimzhan Tokhatkhounov, is still at large in Russia.
