All-Time Poker Money Leader Bryn Kenney Accused of Running Cult-Like Cheating Operation

Karl_Hungus

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https://www.pokernews.com/news/2022/04/bryn-kenney-martin-zamani-cheating-accusations-41076.htm

New cheating allegations surface in the poker world. There have been scandals before, but this looks to be a big one.

Poker's recent slate of cheating scandals has evolved from utter insanity into pure outrageousness following Martin Zamani's interview on the Doug Polk Podcast Thursday afternoon, which you can view in full at the bottom of this article.

Bryn Kenney, poker's all-time money list leader at $57.2 million according to The Hendon Mob, was the focal point of the 80-minute conversation. In that chat, Zamani accused the high roller legend of, more or less, running a cult-like online poker cheating operation on GGPoker.
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Anyone who has played online poker for money can understand that there is definitely cheating going on. Now, new light is being shed on the possible workings of a poker fraud ring.

According to Polk, he was threatened with legal action via Kenney's attorneys "if misinformation is spread and negatively affects him." Polk commenced the interview 10 minutes later, much to the enthrallment of the poker world.

Zamani's appearance came on the heels of a tweet thread he shared earlier in the day.


Since we are in the midst of calling out cheaters @BrynKenney and all his horses are basically forced to collude o… https://t.co/9i7PRGEYTF

— Martin Zamani (@martin_zamani)
Earlier this week, Alex Foxen, Justin Bonomo, and Chance Kornuth brought forth cheating allegations against Ali Imsirovic, accusing the 2021 GPI Player of the Year of colluding in live poker tournaments and using real-time assistance (RTA) tools to assist his play online.
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Even thought the article is a little disjointed, there are a few choice bits in there, including the poker cult leader sending subjects to a shaman to take poison frog venom, and forcing them to be vegan.

On Thursday, Zamani accused Kenney of hiring "horses" to work together as a group to collude in online poker games. In doing so, Zamani, who met Kenney via WPT champ Dennis Blieden, who is now serving 6.5 years in prison for perpetrating a $2.7 million embezzlement scheme, admitted he was part of a group of players that allegedly cheated others out of potentially millions of dollars, but he wants to make it right.

Among the cheating tactics cited by Zamani were forced collusion in satellites, ghosting, and real-time assistance (RTA), just to name a few. Arguably more engrossing were the conditions in which the cheating allegedly occurred.

Zamani, who was admittedly high during the podcast, gave viewers and Polk the impression that Kenney was, in a sense, leading a cult. Those who were part of allegedly cheating online at GGPoker and partypoker were, as Zamani claims, required to do as they were told or be dumped from the staking situation. That supposedly included leading the lifestyle Kenney wanted them to lead, including eating a Vegan diet and obeying Kenney's demands.

Kenney's horses (players who were staked to enter tournaments), according to Zamani, would receive criticism for failing to adhere to the leader's standards. He used an example of one player sneaking out to eat Taco Bell and then being reprimanded for doing so.
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One guy said he went to the shaman, and she wanted to burn and blister his skin, then cut the blister open and pour frog venom into the cut.

Polk then asked his guest to explain a comment made in a tweet about Kenney sending him to a shaman for a, let's just say painful ritual.

"She talks to me for a little, and she goes, 'I was the warlords wife, I'm a killer, I'm a thief, I'm a liar, but I tell you these things straight to your face," Zamani said of his initial interaction with the shaman.

"We talk about stuff and she goes, 'I think you need to cleanse yourself. We're gonna do the Kambo, it's called Kambo, it cleanses you, it's good for you, it's a little violent. She takes incense to your skin and it blisters up. She then cuts off the blister with a knife so your pores are open and then she takes the poison from the frog and puts it on you."

"Into the cut?" Polk asked.

"Yes, into the cut, into your open wound."

No, Zamani didn't permit the shaman to go through with the ritual on his body.
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Apparently, these guys raked in lots of money cheating at poker. I can believe it. I used to play online for cash before it was banned, and there was definitely cheating going on. I know from experience that play online is very different than live play in a card room or casino, in person. Anyone else have any experience or thoughts on the issue?
 
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No one really knows if this is the highest poker earner ever because the high stakes guys all play private cash games.


Ivey has probably won and lost a kings fortune in his life.
 
AFanNotAFighter said:
Poker is all skill. That's why so many cheat.
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There is quite a bit of luck involved in poker, but I agree it is a high skill game.

Sweater of AV said:
I don't think I've ever heard of this guy. It's been quite a while since I played or watched any sort of poker.

Give me Ivey, Negreanu, Doyle, Hellmuth, Scotty Nguyen etc at a table. Throw Tony G in there for good measure.
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I miss those old t.v. shows with those guys - Poker After Dark, etc. I can't remember all the names, but they started making poker shows after Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP, and people got interested. I learned a ton about poker from those shows. I really enjoyed watching those people play, as well. Now, most poker personalities are flat and kind of annoying, but I don't follow poker on t.v., so what do I know?

StoneColdSteveAustin said:
No one really knows if this is the highest poker earner ever because the high stakes guys all play private cash games.


Ivey has probably won and lost a kings fortune in his life.
Click to expand...
This is likely true. I had a neighbor friend, whose father was a ranked poker player back in the 90s. He definitely stashed cash aside. His daughter worked the small card rooms, as well. Tons of money is hidden.
 
Karl_Hungus said:
I miss those old t.v. shows with those guys - Poker After Dark, etc. I can't remember all the names, but they started making poker shows after Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP, and people got interested. I learned a ton about poker from those shows. I really enjoyed watching those people play, as well. Now, most poker personalities are flat and kind of annoying, but I don't follow poker on t.v., so what do I know?
Click to expand...

Moneymaker gave even the biggest idiot hope they could win millions of dollars. They did show a little bit before that, but yeah it really exploded afterwards.

The personalities were great. Hellmuth's blowups were always fun. Tony G had some of the funniest poker moments that I can remember.

 
I’m not good with quick numbers and odds. I also get bored with cards so poker was never my game. I find it interesting how some brains are wired for that sort of thing and others are not. I used to be able to write a paper on a subject with no research and still get an A. I can solve escape rooms and solve mysteries in books and movies. I can present in front of hundreds of people. But I’m no good at cards.
 
Sweater of AV said:
Moneymaker gave even the biggest idiot hope they could win millions of dollars. They did show a little bit before that, but yeah it really exploded afterwards.

The personalities were great. Hellmuth's blowups were always fun. Tony G had some of the funniest poker moments that I can remember.

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Tony G. was my favorite player to watch & probably my favorite Poker player. He was kind of a jerk sometimes but when he was on TV even a bland & boring tournament would turn into the Tony G. show.
 
Karl_Hungus said:
https://www.pokernews.com/news/2022/04/bryn-kenney-martin-zamani-cheating-accusations-41076.htm

New cheating allegations surface in the poker world. There have been scandals before, but this looks to be a big one.



Anyone who has played online poker for money can understand that there is definitely cheating going on. Now, new light is being shed on the possible workings of a poker fraud ring.



Even thought the article is a little disjointed, there are a few choice bits in there, including the poker cult leader sending subjects to a shaman to take poison frog venom, and forcing them to be vegan.



One guy said he went to the shaman, and she wanted to burn and blister his skin, then cut the blister open and pour frog venom into the cut.



Apparently, these guys raked in lots of money cheating at poker. I can believe it. I used to play online for cash before it was banned, and there was definitely cheating going on. I know from experience that play online is very different than live play in a card room or casino, in person. Anyone else have any experience or thoughts on the issue?
Click to expand...
I've rarely gambled, but cheating has always been attached to gambling. Think of the classic Westerns with cowboys playing poker in saloons. I've even read epics from ancient times where there was cheating at dice games.

Doesn't make it acceptable, of course. Just virtually inescapable.
 
I Am Legion said:
I find it interesting how some brains are wired for that sort of thing and others are not. I used to be able to write a paper on a subject with no research and still get an A. I can solve escape rooms and solve mysteries in books and movies. I can present in front of hundreds of people. But I’m no good at cards.
Click to expand...

Im completely the opposite. Will do research on a subject I have no intention about writing. I’ve frequently locked myself inside the car and have needed help from strangers passing by to get out. Books and movies are a mystery and I go absent if there are hundreds of ppl present.

But I’m good at cards.
 
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