Ali Imsirovic
Las Vegas, NV – The world of high-stakes poker has been rocked by a scandal involving two of its brightest stars. Ali Imsirovic and Jake Schindler, both previously celebrated for their meteoric rises and multi-million-dollar wins, are now at the center of serious cheating allegations that have cast a long shadow over the integrity of the game.
The allegations first surfaced in 2022 when several prominent players, including outspoken pro Alex Foxen, publicly accused Imsirovic and Schindler of unethical behavior during online and live events. These accusations included using real-time assistance (RTA) software—tools that provide optimal decisions during online play—multi-accounting, ghosting (playing on behalf of other players), and even colluding in live tournaments.
A House of Cards
Ali Imsirovic, a Bosnian-American player who was once touted as one of the most promising talents in poker, saw his reputation collapse virtually overnight. Initially silent on the allegations, Imsirovic broke his silence in a June 2023 YouTube video, where he admitted to ghosting and multi-accounting during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he denied the more serious charges of RTA use and collusion, calling them “completely f*****g ridiculous.”
Despite his denials, the consequences were swift and severe:
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In May 2022, Imsirovic was removed from the European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo event.
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GGPoker, one of the world’s largest online poker sites, banned him from its platform.
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PokerGO suspended him from all events for the remainder of the 2022 season.
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Most recently, in early 2025, Imsirovic was banned from the Champions Club in Houston, Texas—a rare move that signals how seriously the live poker scene is taking these allegations.
Silence and Shadows
Jake Schindler, a more reserved figure in the poker community, has remained silent throughout the controversy. Despite his low profile, the accusations against him mirror those of Imsirovic: the use of RTA tools and alleged collusion in high-stakes tournaments.
In April 2022, PokerGO confirmed that Schindler, like Imsirovic, was suspended from all of its events through the end of the year. He was also banned from GGPoker. To date, Schindler has made no public statement, leaving his status in the poker world uncertain and his fans questioning his legacy.
Jake Schindler
A Call for Reform
The Imsirovic-Schindler scandal has sparked outrage and debate among both professional players and fans of the game. Many are calling for more robust oversight in both online and live poker. Currently, the poker world lacks a centralized governing body, making consistent enforcement of rules and penalties difficult.
“There needs to be real accountability,” said one high-stakes regular who wished to remain anonymous. “The fact that these players could compete at the highest levels while allegedly cheating undermines the entire structure of the game.”
Industry voices are now urging operators, tournament organizers, and players to come together to create a standardized code of conduct and enforceable penalties. Without such reforms, critics argue, the game’s reputation—and its future—remains at risk.
What’s Next?
As of now, neither Imsirovic nor Schindler have been criminally charged, and both remain free to participate in events not governed by bodies like PokerGO or GGPoker. Still, their professional prospects are dwindling, with many venues and fellow players unwilling to share a table with them.
The poker community waits to see whether these incidents will serve as a turning point for the sport—or whether more revelations are yet to come.
For a detailed overview of the controversies surrounding Ali Imsirovic and Jake Schindler, you may find the following video informative:
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