Tony Girasoli

Tony Girasoli was a respected figure in the northern English poker scene around 2005. He owned The Cincinnati Club in Scotland alongside a partner named Sid. The club was struggling, with only a Sunday cash game and a Thursday student tournament running regularly. In autumn 2005, Girasoli contacted Neil “Blonde Poker” to propose a partnership, claiming Scottish law allowed a poker license and that the building was worth over $400,000. He offered a one-third share of the club and building in exchange for £25,000 down payment and £50,000 within 18 months, promising the company had no debts. Blonde transferred £25,000 into Girasoli’s personal account, but the money never went to the company—Sid later claimed it was lost during a 200k tilt gambling session on blackjack and roulette. The partnership quickly soured over disagreements: Girasoli and Sid refused to rename the club “The Blondepoker Club,” and Girasoli insisted on a single dealer named Robert for the big Sunday cash game, paying him £15/hour plus tips while Blonde recruited dealers at £5/hour. The club closed shortly thereafter, and Blonde reported the deal as a disaster.

By 2015, Girasoli had become an associate of Frankie “Donuts” Donaldson, a wealthy businessman with gangland links. In October 2015, Girasoli allegedly began stalking Jane Clarke, the ex-partner of Donaldson, to prevent her from testifying in a £1million civil claim brought by Donaldson. He was accused of turning up at her workplace, attempting to get her to reach a financial settlement, and sending threatening text messages and phone calls witnessed by her lawyer. Girasoli faced charges of stalking (two counts) and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He first appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court in August 2016. However, in April 2018, police discovered that five original witness statements and other evidence—including the threatening text messages—had vanished from their possession. The Crown Office ordered new statements but eventually dropped all charges in September 2018, citing insufficient evidence. The case caused years of anxiety for the victim, who expressed disgust at the police evidence blunder. Girasoli, 57 at the time, lived in Renfrew, Scotland. Donaldson was later jailed for 26 months for assaulting Clarke and her sister, but served only one-third before release.

Tony Girasoli’s public record is marked by his brief prominence in the UK poker club scene and a serious stalking case that collapsed due to police errors. No documented poker tournament achievements or victories exist in the public domain.