The Supreme Court of Queensland has ordered Marley Wynter, who allegedly ran a ponzi scheme targeting Australian poker players, to pay AU$4.8m (US$3.2m) as a result of the case.
It has been reported that plaintiffs claimed their efforts for withdrawal were met with friction, with many cases reportedly only being paid out after they had warned they would go to authorities.
Wynter, who according to PokerMedia Australia didn’t contest the claim, spearheaded Marley’s House of Sport and Marley’s House of Investment which allegedly bolstered the profits of its significant portfolio of investors.
The sites were shut down at the start of 2023, having reportedly garnered profits of around AU$30m (US$19.8m), through significant growth of its subscriber base.
Wynter was a prominent figure within the Australian poker scene, having featured in the debut WPT Australia series, he further integrated himself into the space by sponsoring key events and local poker tournaments.
Furthermore, it was poker player Craig Abernethy who drew wider attention to the case through a social media page, as he highlighted the potential of the groups as ponzi schemes.
Abernethy told PMA off the back of the judgement: “My main goal with all of this initially was to expose a scammer so that he couldn’t take advantage of any more victims.
“The fact that this has gone to court and a ruling has been made, I’m pretty happy with that result.
“What Marley did was a disgrace and he’s ruined a lot of peoples’ lives. I’ve had a lot of people contact me even today because this money is significant to them. Although I don’t think there is any chance of getting it back, I hope there is at least some closure for the victims so they can move on with their lives knowing this guy won’t scam anyone else ever again.”
