2018 WPT Main Event champion sentenced to 6.5 years in prison

Despite the fact that poker, by its nature, is a game of skill, many poker players are addicted to gambling. 

Frequently, due to their fondness for gambling, such people commit crimes and get in trouble.

A very sad situation happened to the $10 000 Main Event WPT L.A. Poker Classic champion Dennis Blieden after he won a massive $1 000 000.

As it became known, the 31-year-old Blieden was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for fraud, identity theft and misappropriation of funds.

Read also: American poker player was imprisoned for tax evasion

Dennis's criminal case has been ongoing since 2019. Blieden was suspected of stealing funds from StyleHaul, where he served as vice president of accounting and finance.

According to preliminary data, he stole $22 million from the company to pay for his high-stakes casino games and buy cryptocurrency. In 2017 alone, the guy pocketed $18 million.

Dennis also used the stolen money to pay off his debts, which increased every year owing to his gambling addiction. Blieden said that he had been chasing his debts and tried to live a false life.

Initially, Dennis was close to be imprisoned for life, but later he made a deal with the prosecutor so will now serve six and a half years. Nevertheless, the player will also have to pay off all of his debts, including funds he stole from StyleHaul.

In a letter to the judge, Blieden promised to fight his addictions to gambling and methamphetamine.