Wesley Fei, also known as Wes Side, is a cryptocurrency prodigy and millionaire who became a poker star. Despite his relatively recent appearance in the game, Fei’s unique talent and daring persona have rapidly propelled him to fame, particularly in live-stream games.
Wesley Fei is primarily a cash game player and a courageous risk-taker unafraid to put everything on the line. He holds the record for the most giant pot prize lost and the second-biggest pot won in televised poker history.
Today’s casino news looks into Fei’s poker history, earnings, and some allegations.
Wesley Fei: A Meteoric Poker Rise Who Rides the Crypto Range
Wesley Fei, born January 15th, 1996, is an indigene of Chongqing, China. He enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2014 and obtained his bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2018 before launching into the crypto industry. He began playing poker games like Texas Holdem casually in college with friends and has competed in local tournaments, including the Southern California poker circuit.
Before he entered the professional scene of casino games of poker, Wesley Fei had been a cryptocurrency trader and investor, accruing industry wealth. He has an extensive online follower base for his crypto endeavor and was named a Top-15 cryptocurrency trader on Bitmex, a famous crypto exchange, in 2021. His experience in finance and investment later fostered his poker endeavor.
Fei first appeared at Hustler Casino Live in 2022, debuting in Episode 107 on January 12th. The same year, he also participated in several live tournaments. His fans often wonder how he manages crypto and skill games like Poker Oasis because they can be challenging.
Poker Career Highlights of Wesley Fei
Wesley Fei has played several hands in Hustler Casino Live streaming, winning some and losing others. His most notable losses and wins occurred at the Million Dollar Game. In 2023, he lost a $3.1 million pot—the biggest in televised poker’s history—to Tom Dwan in a game featuring Doug Polk and LSG Hank. However, he redeemed his loss by winning a $2.25 million pot—the second-largest in televised poker’s history.
Thought more in tune with cash games like Jokers Wild Wesley Fei also almost clinched a WSOP bracelet in 2023, finishing second in the $1,000 No Limit texas holdem and winning $100,120.
His wealth came mainly from his crypto deals, as his losses in poker have almost nullified his wins. He is also the founder of Infinite Decentralization Capital, an investment establishment. He once hinted to the community of his $40 million net worth.
Who Scammed Whom? Fei’s Alleged Poker Cheating
In December 2023, Wesley Fei, Nik “Airball” Arcot, and other players who had appeared on Hustler Casino Live made allegations against Ye “Tony Mars” Shen. The player was reported to be cheating in private, high-stakes California cash games, which also use 52 card decks, just like strip poker.
The allegations centered around using marked cards and specialized contact lenses—illicit Advanced Poker Techniques to gain an unfair advantage. Fei even released an audio recording of a phone conversation between himself and Mars, in which Mars purportedly failed to deny the cheating claims. However, Ye subsequently denied the allegations.
In January 2022, a finance industry professional claimed that Wesley Fei scammed him out of $250,000 in a crypto pump-and-dump scheme. The accuser went on to create a website detailing the alleged scam, asserting that Fei had sent individuals to burglarize his home after he threatened to expose the fraud.
However, it was known that the accuser contacted Fei’s poker rival, Benjamin Lee, via Instagram. The supposed victim sought Lee’s financial assistance to reveal Fei’s supposed wrongdoings. Despite his initial reluctance, Lee ultimately fell for the tales and wired $35,000 to the scammer, discovering later that he had been targeted in an extortion scheme, according to his post on X (Twitter).
Like other online casino scams and wrongdoing businesses, these scam allegations shaded Wesley Fei’s poker career for some time as the gaming community raised doubts about his ethical standards.
Final Thoughts
Wesley Fei has taken calculated risks in merging his career in cryptocurrency with professional poker. Despite the controversy surrounding Fei’s career, his talent and dedication to the game are undeniable. He continues to build his reputation as a skilled and entertaining competitor. So, Wesley Fei is not only a skilled poker player but also someone who has faced both success and controversy in the poker and crypto worlds. Quite the intriguing character, wouldn’t you say?
Visit Vegas Aces Casino to play online poker real money games and hone your skills to meet Fei at the poker felt. You can practice without risking your bankroll if you play the demo version of any of our poker games.
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