Full Tilt Poker: The F***ing Titanic in the Middle of the Ocean

The uber popular podcast QuadJacks.com lashed out at Full Tilt Poker for its blatant attempts to silence players who have recently been scheduled to appear on the show.  Full Tilt representatives have gone as far as to call in during the shows and order their “paid shills” to be quiet.  You can listen to the Quadjacks.com podcasts here.

Full Tilt was among the three online poker sites indicted April 15 for alleged money laundering and bank fraud.  The world’s second largest online poker room has yet to pay players one month after the indictments were handed down.  Founder Raymond Bitar last week had a number of his US homes seized by US Federal agents.   Bitar had more counts against him in the US complaint than any other party.

QuadJacks is getting a taste of what Gambling911.com found out years ago in dealing with Full Tilt Poker. 

One of the most notorious incidents was when professional player representative Michele Clayborne demanded Gambling911.com remove an article published on the site referencing Pokerati.com’s report that Full Tilt Poker was attempting to sign cheating suspect Russ Hamilton to become one of their pros.  Instead of denying the report Clayborne ordered the article taken down and warned that the site would never gain access to any of Full Tilt’s pros for interviews.  Gambling911.com refused to take down the article.

Months later Gambling911.com filed a Motion to Intervene following the seizures of bank accounts belonging to Full Tilt Poker payment processors.  A Circuit Court ruled in favor of Gamlbing911.com parent company Costigan Media allowing access to the sealed documents.  After learning that Full Tilt Poker was named specifically in the seizure warrants, individuals close to the company repeatedly laughed off any potential for trouble down the road. 

Quadjacks.com referred to Full Tilt Poker as “the f***ing Titanic in the middle of the ocean and they are done.”

“By them (Full Tilt Poker) not saying anything, that is what makes them suspicious,” Quadjacks.com noted. 

A recent interview featured poker pro Mike Matasow, who was apparently called in the middle of the show and told to shut up by Full Tilt Poker.   Matasow remained on the show but no longer spoke about the company but rather talked about upcoming sporting events.  Ten minutes later a Full Tilt rep called again and ordered him to come off the show. 

“It’s ONLY been 26 days (since Full Tilt Poker) paid,” Quadjacks.com said.  They also pointed that PokerStars has paid its pros and players.  QuadJacks suggested that the pros and owners of Full Tilt could be getting paid ahead of players, however, there is no independent confirmation of this happening. 

Here is an exchange that took place on Wednesday night’s show:

“I don’t think everything is all right, it is not all right.  Nobody from the top of management has let anyone know.  Where is the money Full Tilt?”  At least PokerStars has sent checks.  They are paying their shills to say that everything is okay.  Everything is NOT okay.  They are forbidden to speak.”

“Cause for concern?” asked the co-host, obviously knowing the response. 

“I don’t think we are going to see our money.  I don’t think they have money to pay their players.”

“We will schedule Full Tilt Poker players to appear on the program and as soon as this announcement is made public, someone contacts these players and tells them they have to go.  Morbid this kind of surveillance is kinda weird.”

“Let it slide the first few times….had interview all lined up…all of a sudden the player can’t come on.  Everyone is in a cloud of secrecy right now.  If they can’t pay these players accounts and pay these pros, this is a major problem.”

The (professional) players need to stand up for the rights of the players.

“Not one single player has stood up for the rights of the poker players and distance themselves from this Full Tilt failing ship.  This is the fucking Titanic in the middle of the ocean and they are done.  I want to be wrong.  I’ve waited until this point.  It is only so long that we can stand for this silence.  It’s our job to call these people out.”

Quadjacks.com noted that they anticipate most of the Full Tilt Poker pro players to be fired. 

- Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher