Collusion Controversy Mars WSOP Millionaire Maker Event #53
World Series of Poker Event #53, the $1,500-buyin Millionaire Maker tournament, saw a controversy erupt to the consternation of the poker community. A massive field of 11,996 entrants played from June 18 to June 25 before a winner was decided. However, this winner stands suspected of achieving his victory via unethical means.
Extra $1 Million in Play
It was the final, heads-up portion of the tournament that drew the attention of onlookers and raised their suspicions. Jesse Yaginuma entered this phase of the competition with a 9 to 1 chip deficit, which he amazingly overcame to win more than 1.2 million dollars. Runner-up James Carroll won slightly more than 1 million dollars for his second-place finish.
However, Yaginuma's earnings were boosted by a further $1 million that he was entitled to claim from online social poker site ClubWPT Gold as a holder of a promotional Gold Rush ticket. Any winner of a Gold Rush ticket – of whom Yaginuma was one – was promised an extra $1 million should they win any of 11 qualifying tournaments, including the Millionaire Maker.
Jesse Yaginuma (l) and James Carroll (r)Unusual Heads-up Play
Many felt that there were suspicious hands played out between the two final contenders that pointed toward Carroll throwing the tournament and allowing Yaginuma to win. The motive for such unsportsmanlike behavior was allegedly so that Yaginuma could claim the extra $1 million from ClubWPT Gold and then split it up in a previously agreed-upon deal with Carroll.
Many of the hands saw the eventual runner-up, James Carroll, put significant numbers of chips into the pot only to fold, increasing Jesse Yaginuma's stack. For example, Yaginuma limped into one hand with 98o and Carroll raised to 13 million with Q6o. Jesse three-bet to 32 million, and James folded.
Another similar hand occurred when Yaginuma raised preflop to 8.7 million with 87o, leading to a three-bet from Carroll to 23 million, holding 83o. Jesse four-bet to 42 million, which led Carroll to fold.
Once, James Carroll open folded K2s – despite both competitors being effectively less than 10 bb deep!
What Do the WSOP Rules Say
The World Series of Poker has made available its tournament rules for 2025, and we can see what they say regarding chip dumping and/or collusion. Rule 40 (b) states:
Collusion is defined as any agreement between or among two (2) or more Participants to engage in illegal or unethical acts against other Participants. Collusion includes, but is not limited to, acts such as: chip dumping; soft play; sharing card information with another Participant; sending or receiving signals from or to another Participant; the use of electronic communication with the intent to facilitate collusion; and any other act that Host Properties deem inappropriate.
1. Chip dumping is defined as any agreement between or among two (2) or more Participants for one or more of the Participants to bet chips with the intent of increasing another Participant’s stack.
2. Soft play is defined as any agreement between or among two (2) or more Participants to not bet or raise each other to minimize the number of chips lost by those Participants participating in the agreement.
Later on in the rulebook, we find out the penalties for these types of actions:
118. Ethical Play: Poker is an individual game. Soft play will result in penalties that may include forfeiture of chips and/or disqualification. Chip dumping and other forms of collusion will result in disqualification.
WSOP Responds With Investigation
The morning after the tournament ended, the WSOP announced on X that it was undertaking an investigation:
Onlooker responses to the entire situation were mixed. Some felt that the players involved clearly broke the rules and should be penalized. This was the view held, for example, by X user Tyler who wrote, “I'm shocked at how many people seem to be okay with blatant collusion and chip dumping.”
Others seemed to feel that collusion and chip dumping aren't really wrong if there aren't any other players affected beyond the two alleged cheaters. Many also blamed WSOP for not facilitating deal-making among participants. User nipunjava posted on X: “Please do not punish the players cuz it’s the easiest thing to do for better optics. Instead facilitate better playing environment for players.Focus on streamlining deal making. Players are playing for huge amounts of money, have clear cut rules and regulations for all situations that don’t force conflict of interests for players.”
Tellingly, almost nobody who bothered to take a look at the hands believed that the two heads-up competitors were legitimately playing to win. However, Jesse Yaginuma denied that any chip-dumping or collusion took place.
Denouncement
On June 30, the WSOP informed the public of the results of the investigation and the decisions that had been taken regarding the bracelet and prize money:
Basically, nobody was awarded the Millionaire Maker bracelet. The prize money was adjusted slightly such that Jesse Yaginuma loses about $120K, and James Carroll gains the same sum. The big money that everyone was concerned with, however, was the extra million promised by ClubWPT Gold. This company stated on July 1 that it considered Yaginuma the legitimate winner and would be paying him his prize:
Secret Punishments Issued?
While it may appear that the outcome arrived at by the WSOP represented little more than a slap on the wrists for Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll, there are indications that more is going on behind the scenes than the WSOP had initially indicated. To be more specific, rumor has it that both players have been banned.
Nothing official has been confirmed on this point, but according to a source close to James Carroll, both players have been banned for life from the WSOP and all Caesars properties. Meanwhile, well-connected poker pro Daniel Negreanu seemed to imply in his blog that Yaginuma and Carroll were no-trespassed at all Las Vegas Caesars properties and that the Nevada Gaming Commission had a hand in this decision.
We're not 100% certain if any such bans apply worldwide or just in the State of Nevada. Neither is it clear whether or not the ban is really forever or just for a very long time. Nevertheless, it does seem that additional action was taken against the players beyond what was publicly revealed by the WSOP.
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July 4, 2025 – by Max Golden, Editor-in-Chief