Cheating Allegations Emerge After High Stakes Poker Match in Cyprus

Allegations of sophisticated foul play have surfaced following a private heads up poker match at the Onyx Club inside the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel and Casino in Cyprus. The game, held on August 19, featured Finnish entrepreneur Ossi Ketola facing American poker professional Daniel Cates, widely known in the poker world as Jungleman. What began as a high stakes test of skill has since drawn scrutiny after an unexpected shift in momentum during the match.

Ketola, 27, is known for founding the online casino platform Duel.com, which advertises a zero house edge model. Interested in live poker, he invited Cates to a series of no limit hold'em matches streamed live on YouTube and Kick. The games began with relatively modest stakes for high rollers but quickly escalated into multi million euro contests.

The opening match carried a one million euro buy in, with the winner taking a two million euro prize. Cates won the first game in a straightforward fashion, maintaining a relaxed and talkative presence at the table. The second match followed with the same buy in, but this time Ketola secured a decisive victory, leaving the overall score even.

Tensions rose in the third contest when the buy in increased to three million euros per player, creating a six million euro pot. Ketola dominated the early play and eventually closed out the win, visibly frustrating Cates, who abruptly left the room following the loss.

When Cates returned a few minutes later, the course of the match changed dramatically. The players agreed to two consecutive five million euro buy in games followed by a six million euro buy in match. Cates won all three, reversing the momentum and securing a large overall profit. The sudden turnaround prompted speculation among viewers and attendees about what may have happened during his brief absence.

One attendee later reported hearing unusual activity in the restroom during that break, including the sound of a Bluetooth device connecting. Investigators reviewing the account suggested the possibility that a small wireless device could have been used to receive coded signals related to card information from someone with access to the table’s RFID card reading system, which provides real time data for live broadcasts.

Technical experts consulted about the allegations noted that Bluetooth devices with short range communication could theoretically be used to transmit discreet signals during play. According to these assessments, vibrations or coded signals might allow a player to receive strategic guidance if someone nearby had access to hidden card data.

Further suspicion was fueled by claims about Cates’s behavior when returning to the table, with observers noting an unusual walking posture and repeated shifting in his seat. Some commentators interpreted this as possible evidence supporting the theory of a concealed signaling device.

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The accusations remain unproven, and no official ruling has yet been made. Legal representatives connected to Ketola have stated they intend to pursue further investigation into the matter and have requested records and technical data from the casino to review the integrity of the match.

Cates has not publicly responded to the allegations, and representatives for the Onyx Club have declined to comment while the situation remains under review.