Posts Tagged ‘chris ferguson’

Full Tilt Poker Being Investigated by Grand Jury in Manhattan – Kentucky To Sue Online Poker Sites

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Full Tilt Poker Grand Jury Investigation

It has been reported that a federal grand jury in Manhattan is investigating Full Tilt Poker. Allegations of money laundering violations seem to be one of the biggest concerns according to information in an article in the Financial Times. Chris Ferguson and Howard Lederer seem to have been specifically targeted by this probe and could possibly face indictments.

A company spokesperson for Full Tilt Poker said that reports by Financial Times regarding an alleged Manhattan grand jury investigation is news to them. “We are not aware of any grand jury investigation of Tiltware or any related individual or entity, and the company’s position is that it has done nothing wrong. We are not going to comment about a speculative grand jury investigation that we are not aware of and we have no idea what, if anything, they are investigating.”

Kentucky Tries a New Angle on Legal Issues with Online Gambling Domains

Kentucky has been in the news in regard to their attempt to seize 141 online gambling domains and now it seems they are also trying a new angle. They are claiming that Pocket Kings owes them monies “lost between March 25, 2005 and September 25, 2009 by persons located within the borders of Kentucky.”

Pocket Kings is the owner and operator of Full Tilt Poker, which is one of the domains being targeted. The court filing calls for Pocket Kings to refund the state of Kentucky “the amount of money lost between March 25, 2005 and September 25, 2009 by persons located within the borders of Kentucky,” as well as any legal costs.

It has been recently announced that they have decided to sue Full Tilt Poker and other online poker sites including Absolute Poker, UltimateBet, Doyles Room, PokerStars to name just a few.

“The Full Tilt Defendants have done, or have caused to be done, tortuous acts in the Commonwealth for which the Commonwealth has a substantial and compelling interest in exercising personal jurisdiction,” the comlaint says, using an oral statement made by the IGC before an earlier court of appeals hearing that over 13,000 people in Kentucky play online poker.

An Online Poker Player’s Feelings on the Legal Issues with Online Gambling

The United States really needs to get a grip when it comes to regulating online gambling, especially poker. These claims and allegations seem to be a way for states facing huge deficits to try and fleece some money from online poker sites to try and plug the holes in their budgets. These are frivolous claims as far as I am concerned and it will not stop me from logging on to PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker or PDC Poker anytime I may be in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

If you are an online poker player, do not let these states influence how you feel you should use your hard earned money. I believe that sites such as PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and PDC Poker should be applauded for continuing to allow players from the U.S. to play poker for real money on their sites. Be assured that you can continue to deposit and withdraw real money from these sites as well as several others including UltimateBet.

Stand up for your right to use your cash the way you want to. If you are an online poker player, join the Poker Player’s Alliance now. Then contact your local U.S. Senators and Congressman and tell them to support poker.

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Posted in Full Tilt Poker, Online Poker | 5 Comments »

World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) on ESPN2 – Feb 14-Feb 15

Friday, February 12th, 2010

Here’s what is coming up on World Series of Poker Europe on ESPN2

Feb 14, at 11 p.m. ET

Up until this point, it has been a World Series of Poker Europe Main Event to remember. Big names have busted out: Phil Ivey, Barry Greenstein, Chris Ferguson, big names remain: Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, John Juanda, and there has been one big entrance: Phil Hellmuth.

In this episode, the field plays down from 94 players to 36, when the players start making the money. The player who finishes 37th goes home with nothing but a memory.

At this stage of the tournament the chip leaders all come from Europe, and some surprising names are at the top.

The top two on the leaderboard are amateur Ian Munns and local pro Praz Bansi. They’ll start the day at the featured table, improbably, sitting side by side. David Docherty is also in the top five, riding a hot streak that could propel the 22-year-old to the final table. We’ll learn more about him and some of his personal struggles in this episode.

Once again, the great poker shines through in this episode as the players look to turn their ₤10,000 buy-in into a bracelet and a big payday.

Feb 15 at Midnight ET

With the 36 remaining players all safely in the money, the focus turns to making the final table. Only nine players will be able to do that. With such a stacked field, it won’t be easy.

There are a few key emerging stories from this Main Event. James Akenhead and Antoine Saout, two members of poker’s prestigious “November Nine” in Las Vegas are back in the hunt. Both made it to the money in London and have their sights set on a repeat final table.

Kid Poker, Daniel Negreanu, overcame a rough start to make Day 4. Will he continue his impressive comeback? We’ll follow that closely.

And with John Juanda and Annette Obrestad gone on Day 4, there will be a new champion. Will it be Matt Hawrilenko, the Princeton grad who leads the pack on Day 4? Or will someone else emerge? After this hour, we’ll have a much better idea of who will make history.

Feb 15 at 1 a.m. ET

Hour 8 picks up the action midway through Day 4. Eighteen players have been eliminated, and just nine more need to go before the final nine are set.

Jason Mercier, who had a terrific Day 1, was up to his old tricks again on Day 4. Also remaining: James Akenhead and Antoine Saout. Just nine eliminations stand between them and history. Last year, Ivan Demidov made both final tables. This time, Akenhead and Saout would threaten to do it again, an unbelievable story that reaches its conclusion in this hour.

Of the remaining 18, there is one notable amateur in the field: Teddy Sheringham, a former Manchester United star and one of Britain’s most famous soccer players. And the legend, Doyle Brunson, is still in the mix, too. It truly is a loaded field as this group of 18 battles for a final table appearance.

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Posted in Poker, poker professionals, World Series of Poker, World Series of Poker Europe | No Comments »