by Mindy Aguon

Guam - Four individuals accused of running illegal gambling at the former MGM Spa will go to trial in June. District Court Chief Judge Frances Tydingco Gatewood denied a motion to dismiss the superceding indictment filed by William Hsieh and Wai Kam Ho. The two men along with William Perez and Jenny Pau are accused of running illegal gambling like baccarat and Texas Hold 'Em at the former MGM Spa building and laundering the money until federal authorities raided the place back in December 2010.

They pleaded not guilty and have moved to dismiss the criminal charges several times.

As we reported, Hsieh's defense attorney, Peter Perez, moved to have the second superceding indictment thrown against his client arguing that poker is not defined as gambling under the illegal gambling business act. Perez contends that poker is a game of skill rather than chance and says because congress didn't include poker in the listed definitions of gambling activities, the court shouldn't consider it to be illegal.

The four are accused of running illegal poker games and baccarat at the former MGM Spa and laundering the money. Judge Tydingco Gatewood noted that although Texas Hold 'Em may not be specifically mentioned in the illegal gambling business act, Guam law defines gambling as specifically the making or accepting of a wager involving money or anything of monetary value upon the result of any game or contest.

As a result she denied the motion to dismiss and the jury trial is set to begin on June 4.