FBI seizes domains of pokerstars, full tilt, ub.. (UPDATE: FTP MONIES!!!!!11)

[boost]

Manic Monday.

You heard it coined here first.

[Sykedupp]

Eolis isnt one to say that kind of thing without a pretty substantial reason, so I'd wager we're good to go!

[Sykedupp]

oh, and in before all the "I bought XXX FTP $ for YYY and ZZZ isnt paying me!" threads on 2p2

[bikes]

sup

Full Tilt Poker To Relaunch in November According to Eolis -

[bikes]

it's monday and nearly 6pm englander time. sighface

[boost]

meh, I mean, no one said it would be announced on Monday. Just "in the next few days." I think we all just wishfully assumed that Monday was the day.

[baudib]

SUPER TUESDAY

[kiwiMark]

THUPER WEDNETHDAY

[drmcboy]

I saw 'This week Tuesday' on 2+2, works for me.

[givememyleg]

PokerStars, Full Tilt, & DOJ Agreement Confirmed Complete

wheeeeeeeeee

[philly and the phanatics]

Online Poker Companies Agree to Settle Laundering Probe - Bloomberg

this one also mentions Absolute/Ultimate bet as well

[daven]

wheeeeeeeeee

qft!!!

[boost]

from the 2+2 thread

A couple months ago I told people I kissed $550 away because I paid a bar tab for myself and some roomates. The deal was if I paid the tab I could have their full tilt balances if it ever came back (which they obv thought was never ever gonna happen). This was last year and they thought they had me bent over. We shook hands and I still live with the two guys.

I am now $20,000 richer. Bring on the hookers and blow.

epic.

[bigred]

Does this mean anything for us poker legalization?

[givememyleg]

no

[boost]

well, kinda...

If you read between the lines, you can see that Pokerstars clearly thinks that legislation is around the corner... or at least close enough to lay out the better part of a billion dollars to corner the market and ensure their legal reentry.

[kiwiMark]

PokerStars describes itself as the world’s most popular online poker site

lazy reporting ita

[kiwiMark]

THUPER WEDNETHDAY

tho clothe

[bikes]

having been on the other side of the state with no power for the last 28 hours i come online to this. grats to all mah frandz with signficant amounts of monies. =)

[baudib]

Very happy for everyone who had significant money on there. Have a couple of friends who have really struggled since BF. Personally, I could have really used the money last year. At this point, it's found money. I'd trade my balance to be able to play on FT/Stars again.

[Ragnar4]

Does this mean anything for us poker legalization?

I know GMML flatly dropped a No, but I'm not going to quote it, because I'm lazy.

I honestly think this bodes well for Poker in the US in the near future. The State-by-state Supreme Court ruling, along with the "Poker is a game of skill" supreme court ruling seem to be a shield that the Poker industry will be able to use to skirt most states "no gambling laws".

Why would Pokerstars drop three quarters of a billion dollars on the entire settlement if they didn't think they couldn't make it back? Why would they drop that much cash on the settlement if they have no vested interest in a large percentage of FTP's user-base. There is no way this was a simple gesture of goodwill to those who lost their money.

I think that we will see Poker in the states in the next 12 months, and this move is the first in a rapid succession of falling dominoes.

[surviva316]

Lol at all the suckers who used their one time on this. I figured enough gambooooolers had that covered for me to be able to save mine for something else. /got my cake; /soon to be eating it.

[givememyleg]

Why would Pokerstars drop three quarters of a billion dollars on the entire settlement if they didn't think they couldn't make it back? Why would they drop that much cash on the settlement if they have no vested interest in a large percentage of FTP's user-base. There is no way this was a simple gesture of goodwill to those who lost their money.

i'm sure us regulation is on their mind and one of their long term plans, but they were indictment by the doj and were subject to a ridiculous amount of fines, even if they didn't end up taking over ftp.

they will make their money back even if us poker never opens. owning and operating the two largest online poker sites is a good investment for them, even if they remain closed to the US for the next decade.

so i still don't think this whole thing is a sign of us regulation in the near future. please, please, please let me be wrong.

[bikes]

PokerStars Closes Deal With DOJ; Full Tilt Poker Relaunch Expected by Nov. 6, 2012 | PokerNews

over the next 3 years for us players =/

[baudib]

PokerStars Closes Deal With DOJ; Full Tilt Poker Relaunch Expected by Nov. 6, 2012 | PokerNews

over the next 3 years for us players =/

It seems like Pokerstars still owes the government money, so the "over the next 3 years" refers to that. It seems clear that balances owed to U.S. players can be covered by the $225M payment. If it will be is another matter.

[givememyleg]

yeah over next 3 years was referring to stars paying the doj, not the doj paying us players.

[givememyleg]

DON'T SCARE US LIKE THAT

[surviva316]

Too bad the Euro-fish are gonna blow all their freeroll money by the time poker hits the US again.

Pro tip: Play one stake above your normal game the day this money hits accounts.

[rong]

Every time I've done that on a random tilting spur of the moment I always do well. I think it's because they respect my raises.

[bikes]

Exclusive: FTP Former Shareholder Speaks Out, Interview with Andy Bloch | Diamond Flush Poker

[jyms]

Merged all the Lederer files posts into the other thread here

http://www.flopturnriver.com/pokerfo...es-191656.html

[daven]

in case anyone has missed it
ftp relaunching nov 6th and non-us players will be able to get their $$
A Herculean task makes progress - PokerStarsBlog.com

[Keith]

clicked on www.fulltiltpoker.com out of interest and found a statement there . Cliffs of interest are that full tilt won't be opening for spain , italy , denmark belgium etc

Statement

As part of its agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), PokerStars has obtained the assets of Full Tilt Poker, and will use these assets to re-launch the Full Tilt Poker site. PokerStars has also committed to the full reimbursement of funds owed to Full Tilt Poker customers outside the United States within 90 days of formal closing of the deal, which will be by November the 6th. United States Full Tilt Poker players will be dealt with by the U.S. government.
We will set aside a separate account holding the full amount to cover all outstanding player balances outside of the U.S. and are working diligently to re-open the Full Tilt site as soon as possible. This process will take time as we verify account ownership and balances and work with authorities in the relevant jurisdictions to ensure that we can return funds in an efficient and effective way. Again, our agreement with the DOJ means these funds must be available by November the 6th.
Going forward, Full Tilt Poker will maintain a segregated account with more than enough funding to ensure that player funds are fully available for use or withdrawal at any time.
We understand that former Full Tilt players have many questions and we will strive to answer as many as possible as soon as we possibly can. Below is an FAQ addressing many initial questions. We will continually update this FAQ as more information becomes available.



FAQ




General



Will Full Tilt Poker be closed permanently?
No. Full Tilt Poker will reopen in most markets by November 6th, with player accounts fully available for use, play or withdrawal. We are not currently planning to seek a license to operate Full Tilt Poker in France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Belgium or Estonia. For Full Tilt Poker players in these markets, we will work with regulators to determine the appropriate method for making funds available as soon as possible.


I play online at PokerStars but not at Full Tilt Poker. How does this affect me?
This will not impact players at PokerStars in any way – you can continue playing as before. Please note that your money is completely segregated and safe for play and/or withdrawal at any time.


What countries will Full Tilt Poker reopen in?
Full Tilt Poker will reopen in most countries and we plan to apply for a global license with the Isle of Man and Malta gaming authorities. We are not currently planning to seek a license to operate Full Tilt Poker in France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Belgium or Estonia. Full Tilt Poker players in these countries will be able to play at PokerStars.


Can US players play for real money?
No. Under the terms of our agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, we will not offer real money online poker in the U.S. until such time as there is regulation and licensing permitting this. The agreement does expressly allow Full Tilt Poker to apply for such licenses in the U.S. whenever they are offered.


What will happen with Team Full Tilt and the Full Tilt Poker pros?
Full Tilt Poker’s marketing department is working on this, and no final decisions have been made.


Will Full Tilt Poker’s games resume as they were?
There are no plans to change tournament or payout structures at this time. There will be some changes to the overall offerings for our players.



My Account



Will US players be able to use the same screen names when Full Tilt Poker is re-launched?
US players account details will not change – all Player IDs will be the same. Please note that US players will still be able to log in and play for play money.


I have forgotten my login details: how will I be able to get these details or change my password?
You will be able to regain access to your account even if you've forgotten your login details, lost a hardware token or phone with security software. Please note that it will be necessary for players to provide full proof of identity to ensure continued account security.


When will I be able to check my account balance?
While there is not a specific date, we plan to have this information available to players prior to re-launch.


Can I transfer my funds from Full Tilt Poker to a PokerStars account?
We hope to have the functionality in place to allow inter-site transfers between Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars, so that you can enjoy playing on either site. We will provide additional information in the coming weeks.


Because Full Tilt Poker is no longer available, can players from Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Estonia and Denmark use their funds at PokerStars?
We are currently working with the relevant authorities in these countries to develop a solution that would allow the transfer of Full Tilt Poker funds to a PokerStars account.


Can players from Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Estonia and Denmark play for play money?
We are still working on this as well. We hope to offer play money games in every country possible.



Cash-outs



How can players from the United States and related territories cash out or withdraw their funds?
The process of reimbursing Full Tilt Poker’s US players is being addressed by the US Government.


When will players from France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Estonia and Denmark be able to access their funds?
We are currently working with authorities in each country to provide withdrawal methods for your funds. We are committed to making these funds available by November 6th.


Will I be able to cash out my entire balance? (All other countries)
Yes. Full balances will be made available for immediate withdrawal or for immediate use once the site is reopened.


What cash-out or withdrawal methods will be available? (All other countries)
We will strive to ensure that our complete payment offerings are available at the time of launch. Where possible, this will be consistent with the current offerings at PokerStars.


Are there going to be play-through requirements before I can cash out? (All other countries)
No. You will have full access to your funds immediately and in most cases will be able to fully withdraw funds using the same methods previously available in your market.


How long will my cash-out or withdrawal take to process? (All other countries)
Processing times will differ depending on the method of withdrawal.


What will happen to Full Tilt Poker loyalty rewards that were already earned?
We are reviewing all previous Full Tilt Poker reward programs and will provide more details in the near future. We will have a fair resolution for players who have accumulated rewards through various programs.


What will happen to Full Tilt Poker loyalty rewards that were already earned by US players?
US players will only have cash and Full Tilt Points in their accounts at this time, with Iron Man medals already converted to Full Tilt Points.


What will happen to Full Tilt Poker loyalty rewards that were already earned by US players?
Iron Man medals were previously converted to Full Tilt Points for US players. Any redemption by US players must be through the remission process established by the US Government.


What will happen to players who were in the middle of clearing the mid-year Iron Man bonus?
The mid-year Iron Man bonus is based on participation for the first six months of the year. As Full Tilt Poker’s operations ceased in June, it has not been awarded. We will provide a satisfactory resolution for the players who were involved.


What will happen to active bonuses that players haven’t cleared?
If you purchased a bonus and hadn't finished clearing it, your Full Tilt Points will be refunded on a pro-rated basis, depending on how much was left to clear. This will be done before we re-launch.


What about the Full Tilt Poker store?
Details regarding the Full Tilt Poker store will be available upon re-launch.


Will Full Tilt Points spent on purchases that never arrived be refunded?
Yes, these points will be refunded.


What about the Full Tilt Poker Academy and Academy Credits?
The Full Tilt Poker Academy will not return with the re-launch. All Academy Credits will be converted to Full Tilt Points – each Academy Credit will be exchanged for one Full Tilt Point.



Contact



Who should I contact in the future regarding my Full Tilt Poker account?
You can contact [email protected]. One of our representatives will then assist you with your account query.


Is Full Tilt Poker hiring?
Yes. To find out more about what is available, please go to our careers page at rfts.com.

[surviva316]

How can players from the United States and related territories cash out or withdraw their funds?
The process of reimbursing Full Tilt Poker’s US players is being addressed by the US Government.

Oh goody.

[rpm]

anyone know if rakeback is still going to exist on FTP after it re-opens under stars' ownership?

[bikes]

Hi

I have a source that works for the Government that is in the know for the remission process.

I am not sure if a company has been selected yet, but it is very close. All accounts that show a US address as of June 29th, 2011 must apply for the refund.

The remission process has been finalized and the balances of players will be refunded in whole assuming all conditions are met.

1: Must confrim your name and address by providing copies of Government Photo ID and Social Security number.


2: Submit your player account information including screen name, email account, estimated account balance, name and address of the account.


3: Remission process will start with balances over $5,000 and if the account is in order, then its expected it will take about 10 days to have a cheque issued.


4: Player balances have been adjusted to reflect both withdraws and deposits that were not completed.


Items that can delay your refund


1: Change in address


2: If your account received transfers dating back to Jan 1st, 2010, then it must be confrimmed that the other account holder actually had the money and was not the result of deposits that did not clear.


3: If you do not remember the email account connected with the players account.


4: ID is not properly submitted.

2p2 hearsay

[Pascal]

Gus Hansen new face of FTP

[Pascal]

anyone know if rakeback is still going to exist on FTP after it re-opens under stars' ownership?

Not been announced yet.

[boost]

2p2 hearsay

The >5k thing sucks for me personally, but is whatever. Accounts with >5k are probably not that numerous, so they should get those out of the way pretty quickly. The "Account transfers dating back to 2010" thing is understandable, but again annoying. Let's just hope that a delay doesn't mean several months of jumping through hoops.

Besides those minor gripes, this sounds very promising if accurate. "Full account balances" is a very attractive phrase.

[bikes]

[boost]

Sick brag bikes

And now the rest of us wait for the doj..

[bikes]

Sick brag bikes

And now the rest of us wait for the doj..

still havent had a confirm/deny they have all the pending withdraw shit figured out.

[BankItDrew]

u guys won't get paid for a while

this ain't no summer freeroll

[Pascal]

Got the same email as bikes

still havent had a confirm/deny they have all the pending withdraw shit figured out.

From the main site:

What about my withdrawal that was already pending or unsuccessful before Full Tilt Poker shut down?

Any pending withdrawals that were confirmed as not paid out, will be returned to account balances prior to the site reopening on November 6, 2012.

Hopefully they can confirm it wasn't paid out then it'll be easy

[givememyleg]

US players got this, which is nothing new:

As a player on Full Tilt Poker, you may be aware of the recent settlement reached with the U.S. Department of Justice (the "DOJ").

Full Tilt Poker will not offer real money online poker in the U.S. until it is permissible to do so under relevant law.

In relation to your account balance, you will have the opportunity to file petition with the DOJ through a remission process which will be administrated by the DOJ.

In light of the above, only play chip games will be available to Full Tilt Poker players in the U.S. following re-launch, in the first week of November, 2012. Your Full Tilt Points balance will remain intact in your account.

Please note that we are unable to answer queries in relation to your funds - all such questions should be directed to the DOJ in accordance with the procedure to be defined by them.

Please retain this email for your records.

Sincerely,

Full Tilt Poker

[surviva316]

Please retain this email for your records.

Good thinking. How else will I ever be able to prove that I can't play with real money or query FTP about my funds?

[fjuanl]

so excited for play money

[bikes]

Got the same email as bikes



From the main site:

What about my withdrawal that was already pending or unsuccessful before Full Tilt Poker shut down?

Any pending withdrawals that were confirmed as not paid out, will be returned to account balances prior to the site reopening on November 6, 2012.

Hopefully they can confirm it wasn't paid out then it'll be easy

i just came

[Pascal]

Received another email today:

We would like to share some pre-launch information with you about the changes planned to Full Tilt Poker’s existing loyalty program offering.

Full Tilt Poker will re-open on Tuesday, November 6th. On that day, a comprehensive player rewards program will be introduced, which will replace the Iron Man Challenge, Black Card and affiliate-paid rakeback programs.

The way in which players are rewarded will be greatly simplified, with eligible players receiving weekly cash payments. These payments will be based on the number of Full Tilt Points accumulated, at a rate of up to $2.50 for every 100 Full Tilt Points earned.

The weekly payments will differ from affiliate-paid rakeback in that the amounts you receive will not be reduced as a result of the various marketing costs you incur (for example, if you spend points in the Full Tilt Store) or other fees.

We will send you more information on the introduction of our new player rewards program, and on the transition of players from the Iron Man Challenge and Black Card programs, on Tuesday, November 6th. If you are eligible to receive the 2011 Iron Man Mid-Year Bonus, it will be credited to your account upon re-launch.

We look forward to welcoming you back to Full Tilt Poker.

Full Tilt Poker



Addressed specifically to my username, pretty sure that's the first

More info was on 2p2 - tiers up to 25% effective rakeback plus 4 or 5% rb from the points. Easier to make top tier than Black Card. No more Black Card, Iron Man or affiliate rakeback.

[rong]

Fuck yeah

[bikes]

fuck no imo.

[rong]

I just want my money back. Everything else is irrelevant.

[dneureiter]

Also got this mail, As I remember it was 10points per $ raked so thats 25% from this alone + store points and other promos perhaps? Looks ok. I wonder if you only get this 2.50 per 100 @ the top vip tier or something, that would suck. Suppose we will see.

[tiltingdonkey]

No news yet on current FT points right? Or have I understood that incorrectly?

[spidyberge]

Looking forward to NOV 6,full access to my account and my money.Had about $300. there and i miss the site.Wasn't perfect thou but i did enjoy the set up and the variety of games.

[dranger7070]

I always loved the FT software over PS software and it was only kind of close.

Eager to get my fucking 1,200ish back.

[eugmac]

Neat, just got an email from FT saying I'll get my $90.10 back.

[Pascal]

FTP should be back for play money by the end of the week, excite!

Also:

[chemist]

Hadn't noticed that, usually only look at the summary.

Thought it might be your new beta client.

But then I found it too.

[dranger7070]

I'm so jelly of your guys' PS and FTP while I'm stuck with BCP...

[EasyT]

I gets my money how?

[fjuanl]

cliffs from PPA statement...not good:

...however, it was clear from our discussion that no decisions have been made at the DoJ regarding the manner of repayment of player balances.

Unfortunately, completion of a refund claims process is a long way away.

[dranger7070]

I still find it highly unlikely I ever see my money.

[spoonitnow]

Lots of Full Tilt going on in this thread.

[Vi-Zer0Skill]

I assume FullTilt has already repaid the account balances for non US players?

Since I'm not living in the US right now (but was at the time of Black Friday according to my account info), I thought FullTilt would be happy to return my funds to me. But I've been emailing them and they seem to be saying I'll have to wait in line with the other Americans for the DoJ to refund us.

And I have no Deal Me In bonus. FML

[Keith]

can you register your new address though? Will they let you play? If they let you play , buy the ring game tickets with your ftps whilst they are on sale at a discount and clear them and cash them out. saves the value of your ftps just sitting in your account until stars/tilt are allowed back into the US market.

[drmcboy]

yeah wow I was expecting no news, not bleak news. WSOP 201...4 should be awesome

[chemist]

can you register your new address though? Will they let you play? If they let you play , buy the ring game tickets with your ftps whilst they are on sale at a discount and clear them and cash them out. saves the value of your ftps just sitting in your account until stars/tilt are allowed back into the US market.

Are They?
What is normal price?
Store doesn't say they are on discount.

[dranger7070]

Lots of Full Tilt going on in this thread.

Dbag sighting! O__O

You almost never see them up close like this!

[Keith]

Are They?
What is normal price?
Store doesn't say they are on discount.

http://www.flopturnriver.com/pokerfo...on-192017.html

[fjuanl]

Omg an update:


GCG, working with the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section of the United States Department of Justice, has completed the review of data provided by Full Tilt Poker ("FTP"). It has been determined that the calculation formula to be used for the Petition for Remission process will be based on players' final balances with FTP as of April 15, 2011 (the "FTP Account Balances"). The claims process will begin shortly. Once the process begins, GCG will email instructions on how to complete an online claim to all potentially eligible claimants identified by GCG utilizing data supplied by FTP. Account balances from online poker sites other than FTP are not included in this remission process. Petitioners must also meet all other requirements outlined in 28 C.F.R. § 9.8 to be considered eligible for remission.

If you do not receive an email notice and you believe you are eligible to participate in the remission process, you may file a claim online using the directions that will be provided on this website.

If the forfeited funds available for distribution equal or exceed the aggregate FTP Account Balances for all eligible Petitioners, each eligible Petitioner with an approved claim will receive the entirety of his or her FTP Account Balance. If the aggregate FTP Account Balances for all eligible Petitioners exceed the funds available for distribution, payments shall be made to eligible Petitioners on a pro rata basis.

Please continue to check this website for updates regarding this administration.

Last updated August 1, 2013.

http://www.fulltiltpokerclaims.com/index.php

[jackvance]

If the forfeited funds available for distribution equal or exceed the aggregate FTP Account Balances for all eligible Petitioners, each eligible Petitioner with an approved claim will receive the entirety of his or her FTP Account Balance. If the aggregate FTP Account Balances for all eligible Petitioners exceed the funds available for distribution, payments shall be made to eligible Petitioners on a pro rata basis.

Lawyer talk for "everyone is only getting back a fraction of their account balance".

[boost]

Lawyer talk for "everyone is only getting back a fraction of their account balance".

Nah, I don't think so. That may end up being what happens, but I think that's just a super standard line that they throw in there. I mean, this is the exception to the rule. They are paying us on account balances. That's pretty much never the case for Asset Forfeiture.

But still.. shouldn't get too excited. It seems imminent now, and it's awesome to know it's account balances, but "begin shortly" could mean anything with these guys, and that's just the first phase. Then they have to go back and use an abacus for who knows how long before they actually pay out. Before the end of October would be AMAZING for me, but I think before the New Year is wishful thinking.

[NightGizmo]

Any progress is good. I still have the mentality that I'm never seeing that money, so if I ever get paid I'll be happy.

[jackvance]

Nah, I don't think so. That may end up being what happens, but I think that's just a super standard line that they throw in there.

I agree it's a standard line, but we don't live in a universe where they'll actually have MORE funds available than everyone's balances combined.