There was a roguish quality about Isildur1’s anonymity, a sense of mystery that endeared him to the poker-playing public. But as it turns out, there might have been a less profound reason for his decision to hide his identity: tax evasion. The Swedish Government levies huge taxes on gambling, and Blom might have kept his identity hidden so that he won’t have to suffer through these deductions. Now, however, it’s time to face the music. The Swedish Tax Authority or Skatteverket has put Blom under investigation, and sources are saying that Blom might just owe $149 Million to the Swedish government.

The Story

As you well know, Isildur1 was the mysterious figure who turned the whole poker world upside down when he showed up last 2009 and battled against poker giants such as Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, and Patrik Antonius. All people knew about him was that he came from Sweden. Other than that, nothing. Some were already suspecting that he was Viktor Blom, but Blom denied these allegations only to admit later on that he really is Isildur1. His admission came after he got signed by PokerStars and he was obligated to reveal his identity at the PCA. People took the revelation in stride, with some being completely indifferent to it since the outcome was quite predictable. The Skatteverket, however, has pounced upon it and decided to investigate Blom. Newspaper reports from Sweden have shown that Blom could be in big trouble.

Apparently, Swedish citizens are required to pay 30% tax on each winning pot if they’re playing outside of the EU. Under this law, it is obvious that Blom has to pay his taxes. It is said that he played for around $4.5 billion back when he was still at Full Tilt Poker, and if they tax him on this, he’ll owe the government $150 million. Of course, nothing is confirmed as of yet, and the tax agency’s spokespeople have declined to give any conclusive statements.

An Outrage

Still, you’ve got to admit, $150 million is a bit too much – especially since he lost over $2.5 million on Full Tilt after that particularly nasty incident with Brian Hastings. The very idea is absurd, and people are already saying that it goes against logic. The final decision, however, still belongs to the Swedish Government. They can chase Blom down, even if he has already moved to London where no tax is levied upon winnings from online poker. We suggest Blom starts grinding some poker bonuses!

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