Fraud Cases, YouTube Restrictions, and New Allegations Make Headlines in Poker

The past few days have delivered a string of notable poker stories, as reported by PokerNews — from a WSOP Circuit champion set to plead guilty in a fraud case, to YouTube’s age restriction policy shaking up poker content creation, to fresh allegations against a high-profile poker attorney.

George Janssen, a four-time WSOP Circuit ring winner and former car dealership owner from Michigan, is expected to plead guilty to federal financial institution fraud charges. Prosecutors allege Janssen orchestrated a scheme between 2016 and 2023 to defraud nearly two dozen credit unions through fraudulent auto loans and bad checks totaling millions of dollars. Janssen, who made headlines last year after claiming he was kidnapped, is scheduled to appear in court on August 19.

GGPoker ambassador Kevin Martin warns that YouTube’s new automatic 18+ age restriction on online poker videos could significantly harm the industry. The change means most viewers must be logged into their accounts to watch, and restricted videos are less likely to appear in recommendations — causing sharp drops in views. Martin, whose channel has over 130,000 subscribers, says his audience is overwhelmingly adult and calls the policy unfair compared to less-restricted gambling content like slots and blackjack. Despite the setback, Martin vows to keep creating, though other big names, including Ethan “Rampage” Yau, have also reported steep declines.

Tom Goldstein, founder of SCOTUSblog and a prominent poker attorney, is facing expanded allegations in his ongoing federal tax fraud case. Prosecutors claim Goldstein concealed nearly $1 million from the IRS and offered cryptocurrency and a $10,000 bonus to a potential witness to dissuade cooperation with investigators. They also allege he withdrew retirement funds to help purchase a multi-million dollar home while avoiding IRS levies. Goldstein, who previously pleaded not guilty, continues to fight the charges while seeking to have them dismissed.