A can of worms was opened within the poker world just a few weeks in the past when a clipped video that includes Ludwig Ahgren referred to as out unregulated poker website ACR Poker for allegedly refusing to pay him out. Ludwig later clarified his feedback that he had been paid for his providers however had points cashing out funds on the unlicensed website.
Nonetheless, the fallout revealed that a number of different streamers hadn’t been paid by Finish Recreation Expertise, a third-party firm employed by ACR to seek out influencers. That firm was run by the controversial Scott Ball, and ACR spoke of them in a press release issued to Poker.org:
“ACR Poker engaged a third-party company to rearrange model advertising by streamers they presupposed to signify. Each streamer labored underneath their very own expertise company. ACR paid the central company, which was to pay the streamers by means of their respective expertise brokers. That association sadly ended with critical disputes about whether or not the central company stiffed or underpaid the varied expertise businesses or their particular person streamer shoppers. ACR stands by our optimistic monitor report with sponsored gamers, advertising campaigns, and streamers’ expertise businesses. The corporate that reportedly didn’t pay expertise businesses is believed to have been sued by the streamers’ expertise businesses.”
ACR CEO Phil Nagy additionally went on Matt Berkey’s Solely Pals Podcast to present a casual interview during which he laid the blame squarely on Ball’s Finish Recreation Expertise.
In response, Ball made a public submit on X on August 25:
Now, Ball is additional disputing these allegations stating that it was ACR’s non-payment of an eight-figure contract – rumored to be $30 million – that finally led to some influencers not getting paid, although many have.
“I believe that it is very clear that he didn’t discuss to his authorized or press groups and made a really poor, emotionally-charged determination tozf discuss a bunch of stuff,” Ball instructed PokerNews in an unique interview. “I believe it was a fairly poor determination within the grand scheme of issues.”
He added: “We labored with ACR for over seven years, and I can let you know their assertion is simply blatantly not true. As I’ve proven at the moment, there are lots of receipts displaying that we have now paid a number of individuals, and lots of receipts displaying that ACR owes us cash. The rationale I requested for arbitration amongst impartial individuals is as a result of there is no grey space right here. Nagy is saying there is no grey space both, however then I can supply him a freeroll to be able to present this and put all the things on the market. I need all the things public afterward as a result of I need to clear my title and my firm’s title.”
“I had a contract for tens of tens of millions of {dollars} that was honored to a complete of $0.”
Certainly, Ball shared varied paperwork, spreadsheets, and messages with this reporter to validate sure claims. Nonetheless, it was completed so on the idea that copies couldn’t be shared publicly resulting from varied NDAs and ongoing authorized proceedings.
Among the many paperwork shared had been a yearlong Insertion Order, and a spreadsheet highlighting funds to tons of of content material creators, with roughly 50 being unpaid and most being due both 4 or 5 figures.
“I had a contract for tens of tens of millions of {dollars} that was honored to a complete of $0,” claimed Ball. “Finish Recreation Expertise didn’t make sufficient at any level to have the ability to afford getting stiffed tens of tens of millions of {dollars}.”
In response to Ball, ACR by no means made good on the contracts and shared textual content exchanges between himself and Nagy, in addition to with somebody named Juan, who he stated is the CMO of ACR. In these messages, which spanned a number of months, Ball pressed for cost decision with each Nagy and Juan both delaying or outright ghosting for weeks and generally months at a time.
“I am not right here to say its ‘me versus him, his phrase versus mine.’ I confirmed you receipts voluntarily of me asking him to simply make everybody complete. That is what I care about. Make everybody complete and we’ll battle in regards to the cash you owe me afterwards. Assist me make everybody complete as a result of I haven’t got $10 million to make everybody complete. Please assist me make everybody complete when he is instructed me prior to now, he would do that. He does not do it.”
Nagy didn’t reply to makes an attempt to succeed in him for this text.
Streamer Ludwig Regrets Unregulated Poker Website Sponsorship, Says He By no means Acquired Paid
A Judgment Towards Him
Court docket data from L.A. County present a default judgment from late June 2024 for $718,331 towards Finish Recreation Expertise from a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by Loaded, LLC, one other expertise company for streamers. That is presumably the “firm that reportedly didn’t pay expertise businesses is believed to have been sued by the streamers’ expertise businesses” as identified in ACR’s assertion.
Ball doesn’t dispute the judgment exists, however claimed it was awarded resulting from an oversight by his lawyer, who failed to reply on time.
“In brief, my attorneys are dealing with that and attempting to get the default lifted so we are able to return to providing an affordable settlement to pave the highway and are available to phrases that means. That was a mistake on my lawyer’s half.”
Messages to lawyer David Boren, who was listed on courtroom paperwork as counsel for Loaded, LLC, weren’t returned.
Why Not Sue?
In his interview with Solely Pals, Nagy made certain to level out that if he had completed something fallacious then he would probably be sued.
“In non-public textual content messages to me, he’s like ‘let’s f***ing go, sue me’ after telling me he love me,” stated Ball. “I am unable to sue an organization in Costa Rica. I am gonna get a judgment as a result of I’ve contracts, I’ve receipts. I’ve them verbally and in textual content messages saying saving they owe me cash. I’ve textual content messages of them ghosting me for a number of months about accumulating the cash we’re owed to pay influencers. I’ve receipts for all of this.
“There is no doubt I might get a judgment, however the US cannot receive any judgment from Costa Rica. I really do not suppose it is ever occurred earlier than the place the US has ever obtained a judgment from Costa Rica. So, I can spend tons of of hundreds of {dollars} to get a chunk of paper that claims they owe me cash, however I am by no means going to gather it. That is why I like the concept of arbitration with revered poker gamers who’re impartial.”
Looking for Arbitration
Ball reiterated that he’s prepared to go to arbitration with Nagy and ACR to resolve the scenario.
“In response to him within the [Solve For Why] podcast, of their assertion, they’ve completed nothing fallacious and I am the one which’s stolen a bunch of cash, or they’re implying that I stole a bunch of cash. If that is the case, that is going to be very apparent in an arbitration scenario, there shall be no confusion, proper?
“That is the one means I’ve an opportunity in ever accumulating a greenback that the opposite creators are nonetheless owed and that I’ve spent out of my very own pocket to make individuals as complete as I can thus far.”
Ball tossed out just a few names as impartial events for potential arbitration.
“I do not even know Phil Galfond however I might love for somebody like him and Shaun Deeb. It could actually’t be Phil Hellmuth as a result of he’s a shareholder. These varieties of fellows which are impartial, get 10 of them collectively, let’s put out all of our info – their information, my information – let’s escrow, the funds, let’s put it on there and allow them to decide after which challenge the funds nevertheless they see match afterwards. That is the one means I’ve an opportunity in ever accumulating a greenback that the opposite creators are nonetheless owed and that I’ve spent out of my very own pocket to make individuals as complete as I can thus far.”
Disputing Repossession Rumors
Ball alleges that ACR whereas enterprise with ACR was good for a few years, they by no means made good on the ultimate eight-figure deal and that each one funds to the influencers had been made by way of Finish Recreation Expertise earlier than it grew to become bancrupt, and at Ball’s private expense as he’s liquidated property, reminiscent of promoting vehicles and just lately itemizing his Las Vegas residence on the market.
To that finish, within the Solely Pals Podcast Berkey steered that Ball has had a number of autos repossessed. Nonetheless, PokerNews didn’t discover any repossession data and did communicate with a consultant of a high-end Las Vegas dealership that confirmed Ball had offered them a number of autos.
“I’ve had zero vehicles repossessed,” stated Ball. “I purchased vehicles and I offered vehicles very, in a short time when one thing important in my life modified, which was not the plan and to attempt to make individuals complete as quick as I might. However I’ve had no repossessions of any of these autos. That is how tons of of the influencers which were paid had been paid. That is a number of the property that I offered.”
Taking Difficulty with Media Protection
Ball spoke with PokerNews after claiming he felt his portrayal by different media was biased.
“Berkey has his narrative and isn’t going to do something that does not help his narrative,” stated Ball, who acknowledged he was by no means contacted to present his aspect of the story. “I do not need to say he does not have integrity as a result of I do not know him that effectively, however he’s not a journalist, and he has no journalistic integrity in any respect in any way. He talks about issues as in the event that they’re information about folks that have an amazing affect on their lives and the best way they supply for themselves and their household and their livelihoods with out information and he speaks of them as in the event that they’re information. That is very, very harmful. I simply suppose it is actually unhappy that he goes round and promotes the propaganda.”
Ball continued: “One thing we have not talked about at the moment and I can present you this myself, I am beginning to get textual content messages from somebody leaking my telephone variety of individuals actually threatening me and harassing me for the reason that Remedy For Why Podcast. I’ve been referred to as a scammer and a thief and all these items as a result of Matt Berkey feels prefer it’s alright to run his mouth and say these items with no actual reality. If Matt Berkey sat with me at the moment and noticed the entire receipts there is no such thing as a means in hell he would have stated the issues he stated on his podcast. There is no confusion right here and what he is doing is a giant a part of cancel tradition. It is a massive drawback in society.”
Ball was, nevertheless, contacted by Poker.org however declined to remark citing an alleged battle of curiosity.
A Tarnished Fame
As soon as thought-about a rising star locally due to his position in constructing Twitch Poker, Ball’s fame within the poker world has been tarnished lately regardless of successful two WSOP gold bracelets in 2021. A big a part of that was Mike “The Mouth” Matusow publicly calling out Ball for allegedly defrauding a non-public app residence recreation run by Phil Hellmuth.
“These items had been debunked perpetually in the past,” stated Ball when requested in regards to the assertions. “I used to be accused of stealing cash from Phil Helmuth, however Phil Helmuth despatched me a video and allowed me to submit a video of him saying I did not steal cash from him. The issues that I did do fallacious had been I had items of individuals in a recreation that I did not disclose. I might by no means try this once more. That being stated, this is quite common within the non-public poker recreation scene. This isn’t thought-about some loopy unethical factor. There are most likely 10% of personal video games all over the world that this isn’t taking place. That is only a factor. Hosts are going to have items of individuals. It is the way it works. You simply have to just accept that if that is a scene.”
Matusow’s allegations resurfaced, primarily within the Solely Pals Podcast, as part of Ball’s most up-to-date predicament.
“I am not apprehensive about everybody having an amazing opinion of me,” Ball admitted. “I used to care loads about what individuals suppose. I do need individuals to know that I do have integrity. I am not a thief, I am not stealing from individuals. I am not dishonest anyplace as a result of these items are all 100% reality, I am not stealing cash. I’ll proceed to play poker for a residing. I am most likely going to play extra stay tournaments and a few on-line tournaments. I’ve no actual curiosity in non-public money recreation scene anymore. My focus is simply attempting to turn into the perfect model of myself. I’ll proceed to work out, train, examine loads, and simply attempt to turn into the perfect participant I could be.”
What’s Subsequent?
“Initially, I need to see the remaining creators which are nonetheless owed receives a commission,” Ball claimed. “Secondly, I am unable to get into too many specifics, however there are creators that agreed to scale back pay settlements to be able to simply get some cash as a result of realizing that Finish Recreation did not receives a commission. I might like to see the creators who’re nonetheless owed receives a commission as a result of everybody must be paid for the work that they do. Secondly, in an ideal world, I might like to see the creators that took lowered pay, doubtlessly get the distinction during which they did not get in full. That might be nice.
“I do not ever need to do enterprise with them once more, and I do not need to affiliate with them, however I might like to see creators made complete.”
“I might like to get again a number of the cash that I’ve spent out of my very own pocket, however that is by no means going to occur though I had a contract with them for tens of tens of millions of {dollars}; which once more, there’s receipts for these items. I do not ever need to do enterprise with them once more, and I do not need to affiliate with them, however I might like to see creators made complete, and doubtlessly get one thing again that I’ve spent out of my very own pocket as a result of it has been very laborious on my life, clearly to liquidate nearly all the things you personal, and assist determine these things out after which simply shut this chapter.
“Nothing would make me happier than having all of the influencers paid. Then I can fear about my shareholders and myself later,” Ball concluded. “I’ll fortunately, if [ACR] actually agrees to do that, ship out our invoices which are nonetheless pending so that they know precisely what individuals are actually owed and so they can ship me affirmation that they have been paid and we are able to shut out all these influencers.”
For his half, Nagy did tackle the scenario on the Solely Pals Podcast and seemingly made a proposal to influencers to make them complete.
“I imagine in influencers. I help influencers. The very last thing I need to do is shit the place I eat. That being stated is, as soon as legal professionals and businesses and all the things received into it, it simply all floor to a fucking halt. And I’m sorry, that’s the actual world, proper. If these influencers got here to me and stated, ‘ what, we’ll go forward and do it once more, do that final no matter, pay me what I’m owed and the subsequent one I’ll do it 50% off and we’ll proceed our relationship—DONE! That’s what my legal professionals are attempting to barter with the businesses.
“Influencers on the market, you’ll be able to name it cash within the financial institution till we come to some type of settlement, I’m not going anyplace. For those who’re ravenous, inform me, I’ll throw you an advance or one thing. I do know we’ll come to an association. It’s simply get in your agent and ensure they’re speaking to our guys and that it doesn’t drop.”
PokerNews will proceed to observe this story and supply updates if and once they turn into obtainable.
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