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The award-winning Novotel London West in Hammersmith, West London, was the scene of a massive brawl late Friday involving members of two different online poker affiliate groups. Police were called to the scene to disperse the crowd. Some witnesses were now telling Gambling911.com that a GPWA member, Steven Corfman, had been assaulted.
A heated argument ensued between organizers of Casino Affiliate Programs (CAP) and the Gambling Portal Webmasters Association has broken out in the London hotel where a CAP affiliate event was taking place.
"The details are still sketchy but apparently the show organizers instructed security to remove GPWA staff from the hotel (not the show) by any means necessary," the website Poker Affiliates Listings reported on Friday evening. "Apparently Steven Corfman (a member of the GPWA team) took the brunt of it and was assaulted in front of everybody by security in the lobby while being screamed at by CAP staff."
"I was unfortunately in my room when this happened," a terrified attendee relayed on the PAL forum. "I came down to the lobby and it was a massive panic. People were yelling and the Professor (Lou Fabiono) was screaming at J Todd (GPWA) to 'step outside and fight him' in front of us all. I am not going back into the show."
A month long feud has taken place on public message boards involving CAP and GPWA organizers with accusations that CAP was running a "rogue" online poker room called CardSpike.com.
ACPW, which is operated by the Gambling Portal Webmasters Association, reported that Lou Fabiono (organizer of CAP) asked ACPW's J. Todd to step outside to "settle this like men".
"Todd asked Lou if he was sure about it and Lou said lets go, so they start walking to the door. An affiliate manager got in front of them and told Todd it was not a good idea and Todd agreed. Lou however did not, it took a couple of people to calm Lou down. Warren showed up and told Todd he would never threaten him and shook Todd's hand."
Fabiono has a heart condition. Security may have been responsible for any injuries sustained by Steven Corfman, son of GPWA organizer, Michael Corfman.
(Picture is depiction based on reported events.)
