Jamie Gold the 36-year-old from Malibu won the World Series of Poker last week. By capturing first prize of $12 million among a field of more than 8,700, Gold was supposed to be enjoying his status as a nouveau multi-millionaire.
Instead, he?s getting sued, is the subject of tabloid rumors that he?s a fake, and facing tax problems.
And worse, he hasn?t yet received the money, and it?s quite possible he won?t.
When Gold (a former Hollywood agent) outplayed more than 8,700 opponents to capture the first prize, witnesses said that Gold said very little to reporters after he won the $12 million and quickly disappeared.
He hasn?t been seen since.
Within a week of the tournament, Gold has attained dubious legendary status as the poker world?s equivalent of D.B. Cooper, hijacker who leaped from an airliner with $200,000 in twenties strapped to his torso in 1971 and was never seen again ? dead or alive.
In the week since Gold disappeared, the Internet and local and national tabloids have been rife with stories of Gold stiffing professional players whom he had promised ?coaching? payments, should he win, and of misrepresenting his achievements.
?Gold, who boasts about having repped everyone from Sopranos star James Gandolfini to actress Lisa Liu, reportedly came up dry in the celebrity wrangling department,? states an article in Hollywood Interrupted.com
