Aussie Pro Bill Jordanou Pleads Guilty to $72million Ponzi Scheme

5 years ago
Aussie Pro Bill Jordanou Pleads Guilty to $72million Ponzi Scheme
08:40
27 Jun

Well-known Australian poker pro Bill Jordanou has pleaded guilty to his major role in a $72million Ponzi scheme which defrauded wealthy clients of an accountancy firm, resulting in many of them losing their homes - with one victim claiming Jordanou and co-accused Robert Zaia “financially ruined my life and jeopardised my kids' future”.

William ‘Bill’ Jordanou is known to poker players for his $592,671 in tournament cashes between 2008 and 2013, including a 3rd place in the $100K challenge at the Aussie Millions in 2010 worth $276,888, an event won by Dan Shak ahead of Phil Ivey.

To others, however, he was the mastermind behind a plan to use fraudulent documents to obtain loans on behalf of clients, then siphoning the money from their accounts without their knowledge or consent – the Commonwealth Bank of Australia alleged to be complicit in the massive scam.

Concerns were first raised about Jordanou and Zaia’s actions back in 2007, but the CBA did not notify police until 2011, Jordanou and Zaia in the meantime living a life of luxury which saw them buy ‘a fleet of luxury cars, two boats, a jet-ski, Harley-Davidson motorbikes, jewellery and regular gambling trips to Macau and Las Vegas’ according to various media reports.


Sydney Morning Herald crime reporter Cameron Houston described the court scene yesterday:

"The former mates, who once owned matching Mercedes cars and a speed boat called 'Bad Boys', were separated by a guard in the dock, avoiding any eye contact with each other."

Jordanou’s QC Mr Tehan, stated that his client has been held in protective custody after receiving death threats, a recent burglary at his home and an apparently unconnected ‘tomahawk attack’ adding to Jordanou’s woes.

Jordanou had his police bail revoked as we reported 3 years ago, authorities concerned the men had still been scamming even while out on bond, but yesterday’s guilty plea by both men means there will be no trial, the pair due to be sentenced at a later date.


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Andrew from Edinburgh, Scotland, is a professional journalist, international-titled chess master, and avid poker player.Read more

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