Has former Absolute Poker co-founder Brent Beckley made a return to the online gambling industry with online sportsbook BetOnline?

One of the more salacious rumors circulating at last week’s ICE Totally Gaming confab in London had ex-con Beckley (pictured) joining BetOnline in an undetermined capacity. CalvinAyre.com reached out to BetOnline for comment but received only a statement saying that “it’s the company’s policy not to comment on its relationships with its customers, partners, vendors or employees.”

On the surface, the concept of Beckley joining BetOnline seems outlandish. But trusted industry sources – more than one, independent of each other – told CalvinAyre.com that the rumors were true. According to these sources, Beckley was brought on board at the request of BetOnline shareholders, despite the suggestion that some senior management figures were far less impressed with the idea.

Management has reason to worry. In July 2012, Beckley was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to bank fraud and wire fraud in relation to the 2011 ‘Black Friday’ online poker indictments. Beckley was reportedly released from a Club Fed outside Denver the following June.