Laurent Tapie Relocates to Dublin to ‘Take Over Full Tilt Poker’

Laurent Tapie, the man behind the supposed deal to acquire shuttered Full Tilt Poker, has reportedly moved to that company’s Dublin base where he will reopen FTP for European players.  Tapie’s firm, Group Bernard Tapie, operates out of France. 

Full Tilt Poker is now going on one year owing customers millions of dollars after it had several bank accounts seized by US authorities.  An indictment was handed down against two company executives charging them with bank fraud and money laundering.  Full Tilt’s licensing arm eventually pulled the plug on the company last summer. 

PocketFives.com, which broke the news, had this to say: 

"They are finalizing the deal with U.S. Department of Justice, but it's a done deal," our source said about the latest news. "Tapie is getting ready to reopen Full Tilt Poker in Europe. The deal should be signed next week."

The rumored deal has been met with many delays. 

Another PocketFives.com source contradicted the other, however.

On Thursday, a second source close to the negotiations told PocketFives there was no indication whether an agreement would be signed anytime soon: "I don't want to speculate. It is anybody's guess whether it is this week or next." Then, on Friday, a separate source bluntly stated, "Nothing today."

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher