Israeli poker player Gal Yifrach, a 2018 World Series of Poker bracelet winner, has been arrested and charged in Los Angeles with money laundering and operating an illegal virtual gambling business, according to a report by CBS.
The indictment also names Israeli national Nick Shkolnik, 39, who faces similar allegations, as well as Shalom Yifrach, 32, and Shneur Zalman Getzel Rosenfeld, 33, who are charged with money laundering.
Israeli poker player Gal Yifrach, a 2018 World Series of Poker bracelet winner, has been arrested and charged in Los Angeles with money laundering
(Photo: iStock)
Gal Yifrach, 35, known for appearing in the poker program “Live at the Bike,” was arrested with the other defendants last Wednesday.
According to the report, Gal Yifrach and Shalom Yifrach were ordered held pending trial, while Shkolnik and Rosenfeld were released under restrictive conditions.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in California said the defendants allegedly operated illegal gambling businesses together with Yosef Yitzhak Bashari, who has been indicted in other U.S. jurisdictions.
Prosecutors said the group operated in the Sacramento area, where it allegedly ran slot machines and laundered proceeds by exchanging cash for chips or checks at the Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens.
Authorities also alleged that those involved divided cash into multiple deposits at different banks, each totaling no more than $10,000, in an effort to avoid federal transaction-reporting requirements.
The indictment further alleges that Gal Yifrach used some of the proceeds to invest in Los Angeles real estate.
If convicted, Gal Yifrach and Shkolnik each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for operating an illegal gambling business.
Gal Yifrach, Shalom Yifrach and Rosenfeld each also face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of as much as $500,000 on the money laundering charges.
The indictment additionally seeks the forfeiture of more than $500,000 in assets and three Los Angeles properties.