Jamie Gold and Crispin Leyser settle claim to half of Gold's $12 million winnings at WSOP

The Associated Press reports that World Series of Poker main event winner Jamie Gold and TV produced Crispin Leyser (pictured in happier days: Leyser, left; Gold, right) settled their dispute over Leyser’s claim to half of Gold’s $12 million winnings.

Gold and Leyser agreed to resolve the claim "without litigation," according to a joint, signed statement released yesterday. "Jamie always intended on sharing his winnings with Crispin," said the statement, although it made no mention of how much money Leyser would receive.

Gold earlier withdrew $6 million, half of the money he won in the WSOP’s main event, but the court froze the remainder of it, pending a resolution of this dispute.

Leyser claimed Gold agreed a 50-50 split of anything he might have won in exchange for Leyser finding celebrities to play in the main event wearing "Bodog" logo gear. The smoking gun turned out to be a voicemail Jamie Gold left on Leyser’s phone on the final day of the tournament in which Gold promised to pay Leyser half of whatever he won.

At a December court hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Roger L. Hunt indicated Leyser likely would win his claim to the $6 million, and this settlement is a reflection of the court’s opinion.