Executive, Poker Player Guilty in $22 Million Embezzlement Plot

A former Hollywood marketing executive pleaded guilty to his role in a $22 million scheme to embezzle funds from his company and use them for cryptocurrency he would in turn use for professional poker buy-ins, federal prosecutors announced.

Dennis Blieden, previously vice president of accounting and finance for a digital marketing firm called StyleHaul, copped to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. The guilty plea comes about four months after he was arrested for allegedly stealing millions from the company, which represents influencers on YouTube and Instagram.

Blieden, who had control over StyleHaul’s bank ...