why did the lawyer take molly blooms case

Her lawyer, James Walden, claimed the book is just a “cautionary tale” about a “small-town girl” from Colorado who was thrown into the “strange and bizarre world” of high-stakes poker. He claimed Bloom is in severe debt – which includes having to forfeit $125,000 in poker proceeds to the feds – and hopes the book will help pay it off.

Full Answer

Why did Molly Bloom go to court?

Molly Bloom exits federal court, Thursday, Dec. 12. Bloom, the former high-stakes poker game hostess to the stars pleaded guilty to illegal gambling. AP She was dealt her best hand yet!

What does Molly Bloom do for a living?

In 2007, Bloom started her own business, registering Molly Bloom Inc. as an event and catering company to host poker tournaments. By 2008, the games had graduated to private homes and hotels like the Peninsula Beverly Hills, with hands going as high as $4 million.

How did Molly Bloom lose millions in poker games?

All of the Hollywood A-listers who played in Molly Bloom’s poker games deny any wrongdoing. But “poker princess” Molly learned the hard way that running dodgy betting nights comes at a cost. A Mafia hitman put a gun in her mouth, she was raided by FBI agents, threatened with ten years in jail, got hooked on drugs and lost millions.

What happened to Molly Bloom's skiing career?

Then, she straps on her skis, takes off down the mountain, hits a twig just big enough to dislodge one of her boots, and has an epic crash landing that ends her sports career. This is a spectacular and tense opening to the film, but it embellished the real story of the end of Molly Bloom's skiing career.

Why did Molly get beat up?

Weeks later, a stranger showed up at her door with a gun. He slammed her against the wall and stuck the gun in her mouth. He stole her cash and jewelry and made it clear that he was sent by the men she had met at the hotel. He threatened her family if she didn't accept their protection and then beat her up.

Who ruined Molly's game?

In the film, Player X steals her game after Molly calls him out for running another player at her table and potentially ruining its integrity.

Who was the rockstar in Molly's game?

The details of Player X's petty actions are fairly accurate to Bloom's memoir, except for one detail: the film never reveals the identity of who exactly Player X is. In the book Molly's Game, it's never a secret that this nefarious gambler is none other than Spider-Man actor Tobey Maguire.

Who was the informant in Molly's game?

As she is about to return to her poker games, the FBI conducts a raid, a result of Douglas Downey, one of her players, acting as an informant. Molly's assets are seized, and she returns home to live with her mother.

Did Molly Bloom marry?

Molly Bloom is married to Devin Effinger, a neuroscientist. They got married in 2019 at Piney Lake, Colorado, after supposedly dating for one year. They reside in Colorado.

What is Tobey Maguire doing now?

Tobey Maguire is returning to acting While Maguire might not be on screen, that doesn't mean he's not involved in showbiz anymore. He's taken to producing rather than acting because he doesn't have to be in the spotlight.

Who were the 9 players in Molly's game?

The celebrities who played in Molly Bloom's poker games included (clockwise from top left): Tobey Maguire, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alex Rodriguez, Macaulay Culkin, Ben Affleck and Pete Sampras.

Who is the trust fund kid in Molly's game?

Joe KeeryMolly's Game (2017) - Joe Keery as Trust Fund Cole - IMDb.

Who is Dean Keith supposed to be?

His character is called Dean Keith in the film which is a fiction. Many people now believe that Darin Feinstein, a co-owner of the infamous Hollywood nightclub, The Viper Room, is the true-life version of Keith.

What is taking a rake?

Rake is the scaled commission fee taken by a cardroom operating a poker game. It is generally 2.5% to 10% of the pot in each poker hand, up to a predetermined maximum amount. There are also other non-percentage ways for a casino to take the rake.

How old is Molly Bloom now?

44 years (April 21, 1978)Molly Bloom / Age

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Who plays Molly Bloom?

A film adaptation of the book, also called Molly's Game, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 8, 2017. Jessica Chastain plays the role of Molly Bloom.

When did Molly Bloom start her own business?

In 2007, Bloom started her own business, registering Molly Bloom Inc. as an event and catering company to host poker tournaments. By 2008, the games had graduated to private homes and hotels like the Peninsula Beverly Hills, with hands going as high as $4 million.

Why was Bloom's game shut down?

In 2011, one of Bloom's games in Los Angeles was shut down as part of a bankruptcy investigation into a Ponzi scheme run by Bradley Ruderman, one of the players. Bloom, who had received money from Ruderman as part of the game, was accused of receiving $473,000 from Ruderman's bank to settle his debts and sued by the bankruptcy trustee for $473,200, but she denied that she was involved in organizing illegal gambling. Bank records showed 19 transfers to Bloom in 2007 and 2008 for amounts up to $57,500.

Where did Molly Bloom live?

In 2004, Bloom moved to Los Angeles and found work as a bartender. In 2004, Darin Feinstein, one of the co-owners of The Viper Room nightclub, was approached by actor Tobey Maguire about hosting a high-stakes poker game in the basement of the club. Feinstein recruited Bloom to cater to the players and manage the game. In 2007, Bloom started her own business, registering Molly Bloom Inc. as an event and catering company to host poker tournaments. By 2008, the games had graduated to private homes and hotels like the Peninsula Beverly Hills, with hands going as high as $4 million. In addition to Maguire, many wealthy people, celebrities and sports figures were known to frequent the games including Leonardo DiCaprio, Alec Gores, Macaulay Culkin, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Alex Rodriguez, Nelly, Mary Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, Phil Ivey, Rick Salomon and Andy Beal.

How much was Bloom in jail?

Bloom, who was 34 at the time, faced a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, six years of supervised release, a fine of $1.5 million or twice the amount gained from the crimes or twice the amount lost by victims, and a $200 special assessment.

Who is Molly Bloom's parent?

Molly's Game. Parent (s) Larry Bloom. Relatives. Jeremy Bloom (brother) Colby Cohen (cousin) Molly Bloom (born April 21, 1978) is an American entrepreneur, speaker, and author of the 2014 memoir Molly's Game. She had trained for years to become an Olympic skier, but was injured while trying to qualify for the Olympics.

Who are the Bloom brothers?

Her brothers are Jordan Bloom, a cardiothoracic surgery fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Jeremy Bloom, who was an American Olympic skier and professional American football player with the Philadelphia Eagles.

How long was Molly Bloom on probation?

-Vice. What was Molly Bloom's punishment? In 2014, Bloom, who was 36 at the time, was cleared of a number of the charges she was facing and was sentenced to one year probation, 200 hours of community service, and a $1,000 fine.

Who is Bloom's lawyer?

When writing the screenplay, Aaron Sorkin did not interview Bloom's real-life lawyer, Jim Walden (pictured below, right). Sorkin said he wanted to be able to fictionalize the character to best serve the story and not have to worry about keeping him historically accurate.

How much was the buy in for Molly's poker game?

How much was the buy-in to get into Molly's poker games? In researching the Molly's Game true story, we learned that initially the buy-in started at $10,000. "Ultimately, it got to $250,000," Molly Bloom said during an interview on Ellen. She became known as the "Poker Princess.".

Who played Molly Bloom in the movie?

-Vice. Actress Jessica Chastain (left) as Bloom in the movie and "Poker Princess" Molly Bloom (right) in real life.

Who was sued by Bradley Ruderman?

In 2011, the group of hedge fund investors who had been taken in Bradley Ruderman's Ponzi scheme ended up suing Tobey Maguire and other celebrities. The investors claimed the celebrities had won cash from Ruderman that belonged to them. -Business Insider.

Who wrote the script for Molly Bloom?

Screenwriter/director Aaron Sorkin consulted Molly throughout the screenwriting process. He also relied heavily on her memoir of the same name (pictured below). -TIME. Molly Bloom's memoir Molly's Game provided much of the basis for Aaron Sorkin 's script.

Who is the actor in Bloom's memoir?

It's somewhat obvious that "Player X" represents Tobey Maguire, who plays the biggest part in Bloom's memoir, but there's not an exact one-to-one correlation between the two. Writer/director Aaron Sorkin even gives a nod to the Spider-Man actor at one point, with a line about "Player X" portraying a superhero.

When was Molly Bloom arrested?

Dec. 27, 2017. When Molly Bloom was drowning in debt and arrested for hosting illegal gambling events in 2013, she was probably too busy facing the possibility of spending a decade behind bars to even fantasize about her life becoming a major motion picture. Not even she could have guessed where the real Molly Bloom is now.

How long did Bloom work with Aaron?

"I worked pretty closely with Aaron and his team for around six months all day, every day and then homework assignments," Bloom told The Hollywood Reporter.

What was the Hazelwood case?

Hazelwood was found guilty in February 2018 for his part in the scheme and was sentenced to 12½ years in prison on charges of wire fraud, witness tampering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. After taking the case, Walden found exculpatory evidence and filed a motion for a new trial, which the trial judge denied.

Who was the prosecutor for the heroin ring?

Heroin trafficking. While an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, Walden led the prosecution of Li Yun-chung, a significant figure in an international heroin ring. U.S. Customs authorities conducted the then-largest seizure of heroin in U.S. history on June 20, 1991 in Hayward, California.

How many people did Paciello prosecute?

Benjamin Brafman, Paciello's attorney, "estimated that 'more than 70 people' had been prosecuted directly and indirectly as a result of [Paciello's] cooperation'".

What is Walden's lawsuit?

In April 2016, Walden filed a federal class-action lawsuit on behalf of a group of 11 students and their families along with the non-profit organization Families for Excellent Schools, against the New York City Department of Education.

Who was the woman who was killed by Chris Ludwigsen?

Walden also successfully prosecuted Chris Paciello, aka Chris Ludwigsen, for his 1993 murder of Staten Island housewife Judith Shemtov killed during a robbery Paciello had planned in association with the Bonnanno crime family.

Who was the head of the Colombo crime family?

In October 1999, Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico , head of the Colombo crime family, was arrested on charges of loansharking. Walden helped build the cases against Persico. These charges resurfaced in 2001, when Persico was indicted in Brooklyn the same day he completed a 15-month prison sentence on weapons charges in Florida.

When was Spero convicted?

Spero was convicted on April 5, 2001 of ordering three murders during his 20 years serving the family. Walden's work prosecuting organized crime was profiled in the New York Times and featured in a documentary filmed by National Geographic.

What is the real story behind Molly Bloom's skiing career?

The real story behind the end of Molly Bloom's skiing career. STX Films. At the beginning of Molly's Game, we see Bloom getting ready to ski in the trials for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games. In a voiceover, Bloom says that she currently ranks third in her event in North America, despite the fact that at age 12 she suffered ...

Who is Player X in Molly's Game?

In the book Molly's Game, it's never a secret that this nefarious gambler is none other than Spider-Man actor Tobey Maguire.

Who is J Lo's exe?

When she began running games in New York City, another one of J-Lo's exes, baseball player Alex Rodriguez, joined the game. "Men, no matter what age, ilk, or net worth, idolize a professional athlete," Bloom wrote.

Was Molly's Game the focus of Sorkin's movie?

A litany of celebrity encounters may have provided a certain amount of entertainment to Molly's Game, but that was clearly not the focus of Sorkin's film. One major thing that he decided to leave out were the many famous faces that posted up at the table while Bloom was running the show.