Celebs Settle for $1.75M in Underground Poker SuitTobey Maguire, Gabe Kaplan, Nick Cassavettes Among Former Defendants |
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After nearly a year of legal wrangling, the celebrities and high rollers who siphoned millions from a fraudster in underground poker games have all settled out of court and agreed to give back a combined $1.75 million, the New York Post reported Tuesday.
The former clients of Brad Ruderman, a man currently serving time for investment adviser fraud, are recouping money won by the likes of actors Tobey Maguire and Gabe Kaplan, film director Nick Cassavettes, as well as socialite Rick Salomon and businessman Alec Gores, according to Celebuzz.
In 2009, Ruderman was charged with stealing $44 million, about $5 million of which he lost in the poker games. In total, 22 individuals who played in the games, which reportedly ran from 2006-09, were sued.
Late last year, People Magazine reported that Maguire agreed to individually pay back a sum of $80,000 to the victims of Ruderman’s fraud. He was potentially on the hook for more than $300,000. Gores was potentially liable for the heftiest sum — $445,500.
As part of Maguire’s settlement, he maintained that he committed no wrongdoing and he didn’t know that the money he won came from illicit financial activities.
Other big names linked to the high-stakes games include baseball star Alex Rodriguez and actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon — but none of them faced legal action.
While Damon has been immortalized for his role in Rounders, Maguire reportedly was the real-life shark in the Hollywood home games. Affleck currently stands to be involved with a new film that will portray the world of online gambling.
Follow Brian Pempus on Twitter — @brianpempus
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