Published on: January 2, 2025, 11:51h.
Last updated on: January 2, 2025, 11:51h.
Poker talent agent Scott Ball is taking legal action against ACR Poker for breach of contract, alleging that influencers he represented were not compensated for promoting the platform previously known as America’s Card Room.
Ball, a two-time WSOP bracelet winner, who heads End Game Talent, is seeking damages amounting to $30 million, along with restitution, legal fees, and compensation for defamation and trade libel.
The lawsuit, filed in the San Diego Superior Court just before Christmas, directly implicates Phil Nagy, the owner of ACR Poker. The defamation allegations stem from Nagy’s public comments following the dispute between the parties.
‘Malice and Intent’
Nagy’s assertions on the Only Friends Podcast in August suggested that he had fulfilled all financial commitments to End Game. However, the lawsuit contends that these statements were false and made with malicious intent to harm Ball’s reputation and shift blame.
The lawsuit states that the defendant made false and defamatory statements about the plaintiffs, including public claims that attributed payment failures to the plaintiffs’ alleged lack of commitment and accused them of negligence.
Ball asserts that after Nagy’s podcast appearance, there was a text exchange where Nagy challenged Ball to take legal action.
Unpaid Payments
Nagy’s remarks came after influencers like Ludwig Ahgren and Alexandra Botez claimed they were not compensated by ACR as per their agreements.
The contract between ACR and End Game was valued at $29.7 million, with nine monthly installments scheduled from June 1, 2023 to April 1, 2024. However, only three $1.1 million installments were paid in bitcoin, as per the lawsuit.
Ball was previously sued by Loaded, a Los Angeles management firm representing influencers. In June, Loaded obtained a default judgment of $718,331, according to court records.
In November, Ball attempted to overturn the judgment. In his latest legal action, he claims his ability to settle the judgment is hindered by ACR’s alleged nonpayment.