Gossip Column: Ali Imsirovic Ejected Mid-Tournament AGAIN, Enrico Camosci Faces €1.50 Million Tax Heat!

The poker grapevine delivered a double dose of controversy this week, ensnaring two big names in distinctly different webs. One involves another shocking mid-tournament exit linked to integrity questions surrounding a player already walking a tightrope. The other sees a major champion potentially facing a multi-million euro headache from the tax authorities back home. Let’s dive into the drama.

First up is the controversial Ali Imsirovic (cover image – left). Once hailed as poker’s next big thing before admitting to cheating, he found himself booted mid-tournament again, this time from the RunGood Poker Series Jacksonville Main Event – almost unbelievably, right after building the chip lead heading into a dinner break! This latest ejection adds another troubling chapter to the saga of venue bans and suspensions fueled by persistent allegations of RTA use and collusion, leaving his future at the tables cloudier than ever and the debate around industry blacklists raging on.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Italian WSOP bracelet winner Enrico Camosci (cover image – right) is facing a different kind of pressure. Italy’s financial police, the Guardia di Finanza, are reportedly investigating him for potentially failing to declare a whopping €1.50 Million in poker winnings earned outside the European Union between 2019 and 2023. The entire multi-million euro issue seems to hinge on the crucial – and disputed – question of where his official tax residence truly was during that period, turning this into a high-stakes legal game where proving where he lived could be Camosci’s most crucial play yet.

Deja Vu? Ali Imsirovic Ejected From Another Tournament, This Time at RGPS Florida

It seems Ali Imsirovic just can’t escape the spotlight for the wrong reasons. The latest chapter in the controversial pro’s story unfolded this week when he was unceremoniously booted from a tournament mid-play at the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) stop at bestbet Jacksonville, Florida. The incident mirrors similar past events and adds yet another chapter to the ongoing saga surrounding the former GPI Player of the Year.

Imsirovic jumped into Day 1A of the RGPS $1,200 Main Event on Thursday and did what he often does – started accumulating chips rapidly. Reports from PokerNews on the scene noted him actively playing, even showing down a bluff after firing three barrels with a missed draw. By the dinner break, he’d spun his stack up to the chip lead with about 30 players left.

But when play resumed, his seat was empty, and his chips had vanished. The venue did not provide an official statement, but tournament staff confirmed to PokerNews that Imsirovic had been removed from the tournament. While the reason was not made public, speculation immediately tied the ejection to the lingering allegations of cheating that have dogged Imsirovic for the past few years.

History Repeating: Texas Ban, PGT Suspension

The Jacksonville removal was eerily reminiscent of a February 2024 incident at the Champions Club in Houston, Texas, where Imsirovic was disqualified and banned shortly after entering the $1,500 Winter Poker Open Main Event.

Champions Club President Isaac Trumbo publicly stated that the decision reflected the club’s commitment to player protection and game integrity. Imsirovic received a refund and reportedly exited the venue without protest.

That disqualification followed a more high-profile action by the PokerGO Tour in September 2022. The tour suspended Imsirovic and fellow high-stakes pro Jake Schindler indefinitely, removing their names from leaderboards and championship contention. The PGT cited the importance of preserving the integrity of its events, though it stopped short of disclosing specific evidence.

Statement regarding the PGT status of Ali Imsirovic and Jake Schindler.

🔗 – https://t.co/P1CXlpOVJi pic.twitter.com/WWFsyrOkkw

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) September 22, 2022

The Allegations, The Admission, The Aftermath

The core of the controversy dates back to April 2022, when prominent players like Alex Foxen publicly accused Imsirovic of serious misconduct, including collusion in live high roller tournaments, using banned software aids (Real-Time Assistance—RTA), and multi-accounting online. Similar accusations were levied against Jake Schindler around the same time.

The situation grew more complex in June 2023 when Imsirovic released a video statement. In it, he admitted to multi-accounting online during a specific past period – a serious breach of poker ethics – but strongly denied the more severe allegations of live collusion or using RTA.

Despite the partial admission, the PGT suspension, and now multiple venue bans, Imsirovic hasn’t vanished from poker entirely. He controversially played at the World Series of Poker in 2023 and 2024, managing several cashes. This spotty access highlights a major issue in poker: the lack of a centralized governing body or universally enforced blacklist, leaving individual tours and card rooms to police themselves.

His results, however, are a far cry from his dominant run in 2021 when he captured 14 high roller titles and was crowned GPI Player of the Year. Once considered a generational talent, his name now evokes polarizing opinions within the poker community.

The poker community remains somewhat divided. Some demand stricter enforcement and universal bans based on the weight of allegations and admissions. In contrast, others are hesitant without concrete proof presented publicly for every claim.

However, the actions of PGT, Champions Club, and now apparently bestbet Jacksonville signal that operators are increasingly willing to take firm stances to protect their games and player confidence. The ongoing saga of Ali Imsirovic, once perched at the peak of the high-stakes world, continues to unfold, leaving questions about his future in the game he once dominated.

Bracelet Winner Enrico Camosci in Trouble With Italian Authorities Over €1.5 Million Tax Evasion Allegations

Trouble appears to be brewing for Enrico Camosci, one of Italy’s more accomplished poker professionals and a WSOP bracelet winner. Italian authorities, specifically the financial police force known as Guardia di Finanza, have accused the Bologna native of failing to declare over €1.50 million in international poker winnings, putting him squarely in their crosshairs for alleged tax evasion.

The agency has reportedly launched a formal inquiry into the 31-year-old’s income generated between 2019 and 2023. Authorities claim that Camosci, who has lived abroad for several years, did not declare earnings from live and online play conducted outside the European Union — a potential violation of Italy’s strict tax laws on foreign-sourced income.

Who is Enrico Camosci?

Known online as “Camosh,” Camosci rose through the ranks grinding low-stakes tournaments with disciplined bankroll management before breaking out on the international scene. His live and online résumé is impressive, with over $3.70 Million in recorded live earnings on The Hendon Mob.

One of his biggest breakthroughs came online in 2020 when he captured that coveted WSOP bracelet in a $2,100 GGPoker bounty event, banking $327,319. He nearly matched that score online again three years later with a $323,515 payday for seventh in a $10K GGMillion$. And just last year, he reminded everyone of his live chops by taking down the €25,000 High Roller at EPT Paris, outdueling the legendary Steve O’Dwyer heads-up for a massive €428,780.

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A post shared by Enrico Camosci (@whatisl0v3)

The Tax Issue: Residency and Foreign Earnings

According to Italian tax law, winnings inside the EU might get taxed at the source, often requiring no extra declaration. However, cash earned outside the EU is considered self-employment income and needs to be fully declared back home. The authorities believe Camosci didn’t report a serious chunk of change fitting that description. This investigation also hints that Italy’s tax authorities are expanding their crackdown beyond the usual suspects like influencers and online personalities, now setting their sights on professional poker players or “gamers.”

The big wrinkle in all this is Camosci’s residency status. He’s been quite open about living abroad for years, specifically citing stints in Malta and later Playa del Carmen, Mexico. His reasons were all about the grind: escaping Italy’s restricted online poker market for the tougher global player pools and finding a time zone more forgiving for the brutal hours required by an MTT pro (“Poker players are like vampires,” he once aptly put it). However, the Italian authorities are reportedly challenging his claim of being non-resident in Bologna for tax purposes during that 2019-2023 window.

Under Italian tax regulations, the taxpayer has the burden of proof to demonstrate that they were genuinely living abroad. The investigation could be dismissed if Camosci’s legal team can provide sufficient evidence of non-residency.

No Public Comment – For Now

Camosci has remained tight-lipped, directing media inquiries to his legal team. He hasn’t addressed the matter publicly on his social media either.

So, it’s a different kind of high-stakes battle for Camosci now, playing defence against the power of the Italian state. With millions potentially on the line in back taxes and penalties – and Italian reports even mentioning the possibility of criminal charges – he needs to find the right cards, or rather, the right documents, to prove his case. This story is still unfolding, raising questions for many poker pros who travel the globe chasing the game.

Content & Images Courtesy: PokerNews and Start Magazine