Scott Ball, a poker player and talent agent, has filed a $30 million lawsuit against ACR Poker for breach of contract and defamation. The lawsuit, filed in San Diego Superior Court, targets both the offshore poker platform and its owner Phil Nagy.

Ball, who runs End Game Talent agency and holds two WSOP bracelets, claims ACR failed to pay social media influencers who promoted the site. According to the lawsuit, ACR agreed to pay $29.7 million in nine monthly installments of $3.3 million from June 2023 to April 2024, but only delivered three $1.1 million bitcoin payments.

The defamation aspect of the lawsuit stems from Nagy's appearance on the Only Friends Podcast in August, where he allegedly made false statements suggesting Ball was responsible for the payment failures. The lawsuit states these comments were made with "actual malice and intent" to damage Ball's reputation.

Notable influencers affected by the payment dispute include esports YouTuber Ludwig Ahgren and poker/chess streamer Alexandra Botez, who publicly stated they were ghosted by ACR regarding payments.

Earlier in 2023, Ball faced legal action from Loaded, a Los Angeles management firm representing some of the affected influencers. Loaded secured a default judgment for $718,331, which Ball claims he cannot settle due to ACR's alleged nonpayment.

The text exchange following Nagy's podcast appearance, where Nagy allegedly challenged Ball to "sue me," is also included in the lawsuit as evidence. Ball seeks monetary damages, legal fees, and restitution for unjust enrichment, along with damages for defamation and trade libel.

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