Daniel Cvetkov Challenges U.S. Justice Department in High-Stakes Poker Case

Daniel Cvetkov, an Australian businessman, refused to plead guilty in a Manhattan court in the Southern District of New York. He is accused of illegal internet transactions in the gambling business totaling over $500 million. Cvetkov's lawyers argue that poker is a game of skill, not gambling, and thus should not be subject to the UIGEA rules. Cvetkov's lawyer, Martin Weinberg, confirmed that the defense strategy is to deny all charges, including bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy with online gambling operators.

Cvetkov, once worth 82 million Australian dollars, will remain in Brooklyn prison until at least June 2011, as his bail request was denied.