Joined: Apr '11
Location: Romania
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Billionaire businessman Marc Lasry was all set to be appointed as the next US ambassador to France, but has declined after being linked to a high stakes underground poker ring in New York. Lasry was Barack Obama's first choice to take the role, but he has ruled himself out after being linked to games reportedly operated by the Russian mafia in New York. A source said “Marc Lasry is a big-time gambler, in golf and poker,” and “It’s not that he committed a crime, but it opens a can of worms.”
ouch what a stunning revelation your making here. Sad for the guy to see what could have been ahead for him but for sure the US presidence has no other choice than to pass their choice to an other person. Related link with russian mafia would surely have been the strongest point to not hire this guy despite all his quality for the job he was being look foward to accomplished
Joined: Sep '11
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
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He announced his withdrawal just a week after the New York's chief federal prosecutor charged 34 people in an alleged $100 million Russian-run poker money laundering operation. Among those charged were Illya Trincher, the son of a professional poker player, who is accused of running the ring for multi-millionaire gamblers with Helly Nahmad, an elite Manhattan art dealer based in the Carlyle hotel. Others arrested included Molly Bloom, the so-called "poker princess" who has organised games for celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire. Mr Lasry has played poker with some of the accused, including Mr Trincher, but it was a "complete surprise to him that they are accused of violating the law", said a source close to the financier.
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
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Billionaires's into politics. Instead of enjoying the money they have they get deep into the mad. And for what? More fame and power? Hard to understand people some times. What they really want form life after all.
I don´t think that. I think it´s the other way around. All us with no money work so hard to get a lot. But what if you/we finally get a lot. Then i think you would do something else in sted. I don´t say it´s necesary is politic, but something. I don´t think you would just stop doing anything. Maybe for a period, but in the end I think you would start doing something to.
Joined: Feb '08
Location: United Kingdom
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Posted by Mober: Billionaires's into politics. Instead of enjoying the money they have they get deep into the mad. And for what? More fame and power? Hard to understand people some times. What they really want form life after all.
Lol. Surely the real question is why would a billionaire play poker?
I'm not saying I play just for the money or that I don't enjoy the game but I know that without the risk of losing or the thrill of winning poker is not the same. So I don't see how millionaires can develop a gambling problem. But as suggested above people are greedy and always want more.
In fact it's more than that. The people in this world who have the most are also for the most part the greediest. It's intrinsic to the way our society functions. Although we all think we dream of winning the lottery and being rich, most of us are happy with our lot, we care far more about family and the things that matter. But people who are never satisfied fight for more, they scrap for every penny and for what, they are never any happier than moderate income families. These people vote to pay less tax so they can keep more of their hard earned money and charity is just another financial-social machine to them. It's like evoloution or natural selection, the rich are the best at obtaining money, and also care the most about money. And the system has evolved so that the rich keep getting richer.
That's where politics comes in. Some people genuinely have a political ideology that they truly care about. But it so happens that billionaires are more likely to agree that greed is good and the rich deserve to be richer. Funnily enough you would expect poker players in general to agree that greed is good, that the weak deserve to have their money taken, and that gamblers who lose everything have no one to blame but themselves. Also poker must be the only vocation I can think of which is entirely selfish and provides absolutely no service to anyone. Yet I love poker and I've read a lot of members who consider themseles socialists who say the same thing.
Joined: Feb '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 59 (M)
Posts: 5712
Its the age of story of money breeding greed breeding a desire for more money and power... and where better to get more money and power than through politics. If I could |i would, but then I would have to declare any involvement in seedy poker rings so perhaps I wont be doing that any day just yet......... playing in seedy poker rings that is!!! LOL
