WSOP Investigates Millionaire Maker Collusion, Top Payouts Withheld

The World Series of Poker is investigating potential collusion between Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll following the heads-up final of the $1,500 Millionaire Maker event, where Yaginuma overcame a 9-to-1 chip deficit to win. Suspicion arose due to unusual gameplay by Carroll, including repeated folds to raises and questionable bets, suggesting he may have intentionally lost hands to enable Yaginuma's comeback, which is against WSOP rules prohibiting chip dumping and collusion. Yaginuma stood to earn an additional $1 million bonus from ClubWPT Gold for winning the tournament, heightening incentives for collusion. Both players have had their first and second place payouts withheld pending the investigation, with Yaginuma potentially owed $1.26 million and Carroll $1 million if cleared. While some poker tournaments allow prize pool deals, WSOP strictly forbids any agreements to manipulate outcomes, and officials are scrutinizing the match's conduct closely. Both players deny any arrangement, but the unusual chip exchanges and gameplay have drawn significant scrutiny from officials and professional observers alike.