An Undercover Agent, Skype Logs, and More from Seals With Clubs Investigation
An undercover agent with an account at Seals With Clubs, a number of Skype conversation logs, and a thorough analysis of the content published on the now-defunct Bitcoin Poker site have all been part of the investigation that may cost Bryan Micon up to ten years in prison.
During a meeting with the press held earlier this week to discuss the arrest warrant filed against Micon, Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxal shared some important details about the operation.
According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, Laxal explained that the investigation on Seals With Clubs, the first of its kind to ever to be conducted at a state-level, started after a Belgian national brought the poker room to the attention of the Gaming Control Board and noted that it may be operating in conflict with Nevada's regulation on online gaming.
To follow up on the report, agent Ricardo Lopez opened an account at Seals With Clubs in Feb. 2014 and tried to understand more about the functioning of the bitcoin-only poker room.
"I placed bets using my chips, and won some hands while losing others," Lopez explained. "I had successfully purchased Bitcoin using U.S. currency and then gambled the Bitcoin on the website sealswithclubs.eu on two separate dates for a total of 30 hands of poker."
Lopez also noted that the room had taken a rake from certain hands.
After that, Nevada's authorities started to carefully examine the content published on the poker room's website and on several social media accounts related to Seals With Clubs, coming to the conclusion that Micon was effectively one of the key figures in the ownership and functioning of the site.
Along with analysis of a number of Skype logs, the authorities also discovered that - by Micon's own admission - Seals With Clubs generated profits for $10,000 to $12,000 on a monthly basis.
"The industry must be licensed and controlled," Laxalt said. "Defending Nevada's worldwide reputation as the gold standard of gaming integrity is a paramount concern to tens of thousands of Nevadans employed by the industry and the 41 million tourists who visit the state each year."
Micon Pleads Not Guilty, Turns to Crowdfunding
Micon, who relocated to the Caribbean island of Antigua immediately after his home was raided by the Las Vegas police on February 11, pled not guilty as he believed there was no wrongdoing on his part.
"I maintain that I have committed no wrongdoing and have retained the legal services of Chesnoff & Schonfeld, whom I believe are the best lawyers for my case," Micon wrote on a page launched on Apr. 28 on GoFundMe.com, a popular crowdfunding portal.
"The price for representation will quickly deplete my funds, and I am asking for donations from anyone who feels like helping me," Micon continued.
Talking about the case, Micon's lawyer David Chesnoff explained that "Mr. Micon maintains his innocence, and we're looking forward to litigating on what appears to be a case of first impression. We are going to advise our client that he's been charged in Las Vegas and what his legal obligations are."
PokerNews will have more on this story as it develops.
Want to stay atop all the latest in the poker world? If so, make sure to get PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+!
