Baazov linked to New York election donation case

A political operative was charged on Monday for allegedly helping David Baazov donate US$25,000 to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s campaign in 2014.

US.- David Baazov has been linked to a political operative that allegedly intercede for Amaya’s founder to help him donate US$25,000 to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo during his 2014 re-election campaign. Gerald Steve Pigeon’s (the accused) connection with the Canadian businessman remain unknown and neither Baazov’s nor Amaya’s names have been directly mentioned in the case.

Reports indicate that former Amaya’s CEO tried to buy a ticket worth that much but wasn’t able to do so for being Canadian. Later on, Executive Vicepresident of Corporate Devlopment and eneral Consel for the company, Marlon Goldstein, secured a ticket himself.

Pigeon faces a US$250,000 fine and up to 5 years in prison if his participation is proved, but last Monday he pleaded not guilty at court. According to some reports, he had received around US$400,000 from the Canadian company for consulting and assisting in their lobbying efforts for legalising online poker in the state.

Its legalisation has been debated emphatically over the past years and, earlier this year, state’s Assembly and Senate lawmakers supported it as they wanted it to be considered as a skill game, and not just luck. In New York, gambling is not allowed and that’s the only way to bring online poker to be legal in the state.

In addition to his link  to this case, David Baazov will stand trial in November as he faces insider trading charges for a transaction while he was still at Amaya.