DOJ Spokesperson Denies Full Tilt Poker, Groupe Bernard Tapie Deal for $80m

A DOJ spokesperson, Carly Sullivan responded to a CNN report that was quickly pulled off its site regarding a DOJ deal to allow Groupe Bernard Tapie’s acquisition of Full Tilt Poker: “We have no comment and do not confirm or deny a deal.”

Full Tilt Poker itself later issued a statement that an “agreement between Groupe Bernard Tapie and the Department of Justice have been finalized”, however, FTP has released “misleading” statements in the past.

Full Tilt Poker attorney Jeff Ifrah clarified to some extent: “There is a signed agreement between the government and Tapie that dictates what the terms will be for the sale of the assets, but the government doesn’t have the assets yet, so they still need to obtain them… It’s not clear what has to happen for the government to obtain those assets … For now, this is a pretty historic agreement in many ways, and it’s going to lay the groundwork for a final agreement between Tapie and the company, which will ultimately result in those assets, presumably, being voluntarily forfeited to the government.”

French firm Groupe Bernard Tapie announced its intentions to acquire what was once the second largest online poker room shortly after the Alderney Gaming Commission pulled the plug on Full Tilt Poker. 

Executives from Full Tilt Poker were indicted on April 15, charged with money laundering and bank fraud.  The company has failed to pay back US customers since that date.

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher