Leaked Email Shows Bernard Tapie Wanted to Hire Away All Key Full Tilt Poker Staff

An email leaked to the website PokerFuse.com on Tuesday showed that one time Full Tilt Poker suitor Bernard Tapie had hoped to lure away key employees of that shuttered organization in order to start his own online poker site “Game Cubed”.

Last week Group Bernard Tapie withdrew its bid to acquire Full Tilt Poker upon learning that the company’s closest rival, PokerStars, had entered into a deal reportedly worth $750m.  A deal with the US Justice Department would ensure that $330m of that money go to repay Full Tilt account holders, according to some media reports.

Full Tilt was forced out of the US market in April 2011 following indictments of two company executives on money laundering and bank fraud charges.  Accounts belonging to FTP were frozen by US authorities.  Customers of Full Tilt Poker have yet to see any of their monies since that time. 

An excerpt from the leaked email, allegedly sent by Tapie to the key staff members of Full Tilt Poker, was published on the PokerFuse.com website:

“I need commitments from you all very quickly. I am sorry to put this pressure on you, but timing is critical if this is to work,” wrote Tapie. “I need to know whether I have sufficient critical mass to move forward no later than the end of THIS WEEK.”

- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com