Lange hat das Tauziehen gedauert. Nun ist es offiziell. PokerStars wird Full Tilt Poker übernehmen und die Spieler in Gänze auszahlen. Dafür zahlt PokerStars über $700 Millionen und stellt sicher, dass alle Spieler innerhalb von 90 Tagen komplett ausgezahlt werden.
Der Deal ist durch
Dienstagnachmittag um 17:30 Uhr platzte endlich die Bombe. Über eine Pressemeldung ließ PokerStars verlauten, dass der Deal mit dem DOJ zum Kauf von Full Tilt Poker in trockenen Tüchern sei und innerhalb der nächsten sieben Tage abgeschlossen werde.
Dem Vernehmen nach wird Full Tilt, wie schon vor geraumer Zeit von PokerOlymp berichtet wurde, alle Besitztümer an das DOJ überschreiben. Im Gegenzug hebt das DOJ alle Anklagen gegen die Firmen von Full Tilt auf. PokerStars kauft die Besitztümer von DOJ auf und zahlt über drei Jahre $547 Millionen an das DOJ. Im Gegenzug werden dann ebenfalls alle Anklagen gegen die Firmen von PokerStars aufgehoben.
Wie geht es für die ehemaligen FTP-Spieler weiter?
Nach dem Deal mit dem DOJ muss PokerStars innerhalb von 90 Tagen alle nicht-amerikanischen Spielen auszahlen. Die Gesamtsumme dieser Auszahlungen wird auf $184 Millionen beziffert. Die Auszahlungen werden in einem separaten Konto von PokerStars bereit gehalten.
Es steht zu erwarten, dass die Full-Tilt-Spieler in einigen Tagen über die Modalitäten der Auszahlungen aufgeklärt werden.
Schon nach dem Schwarzen Freitag konnte PokerStars seine amerikanischen Spieler innerhalb kürzester Zeit auszahlen. Die amerikanischen Spieler von Full Tilt werden sich ihr Geld jedoch vom DOJ wiederholen müssen. Für diese Transaktionen stellt zwar indirekt auch PokerStars Gelder zur Verfügung, doch müssen die Spieler sich selbständig an das DOJ wenden.
Was passiert mit Full Tilt Poker?
PokerStars plant, wie schon zuvor von uns berichtet wurde, Full Tilt Poker als eigenständige Marke weiter zu betreiben. Ein Teil der bisher beschäftigten Pocket-Kings-Mitarbeiter wird übernommen, doch das Management komplett ausgetauscht. Sitz der neuen Firma wird weiterhin in Dublin sein. Allerdings wird das neue Full Tilt, ebenso wie PokerStars, auf der Isle of Man lizenziert werden.
Meldung des DOJ zum Deal
Nach Mitteilung des DOJ muss PokerStars als erste Anzahlung in kurzer Frist $220 Millionen zahlen. Ferner muss Isai Scheinberg aufgrund der gegen ihn weiterhin bestehenden Klagen innerhalb von 45 Tagen aus dem Management von PokerStars ausscheiden. Außerdem darf PokerStars keine FTP-Insider beschäftigen. Namentlich werden unter anderem Ray Bitar, Howard Lederer und Chris Ferguson ausgeschlossen.
Ausdrücklich weist das DOJ darauf hin, dass PokerStars in den USA keine Echtgeldspiele anbieten darf so lange dies noch nicht gesetzlich geregelt ist.
Q&A von PokerStars
Auf 2+2 stellt sich Lee Jones von PokerStars den brennendsten Fragen. Hier einige Fragen und Antworten in Übersetzung:
Wann wird FTP wieder geöffnet?
Wir planen, FTP in den meisten Märkten innerhalb von 90 Tagen nach Abschluss des Deals (was innerhalb von 7 Tagen passieren wird) online zu bringen.
In welchen Ländern wird FTP geöffnet?
FTP wird in den meisten Ländern wieder an den Start gehen und wie planen weltweite Lizenzen über die Isle of Man und Malta zu erhalten. In Frankreich, Italien, Spanien, Dänemark, Belgien und Estland planen wir, nicht an den Markt zu gehen.
Kann ich mein FTP-Geld auf Stars transferieren?
Wir hoffen, eine solche Funktion einrichten zu können, um einen Transfer zwischen FTP und PokerStars zu ermöglichen, so dass man auf beiden Plattformen spielen kann. In den kommenden Wochen werden wir dazu Weiteres veröffentlichen.
Kann ich mein gesamtes Geld auszahlen? (Für nicht-amerikanische Spieler)
Ja. Alle Gelder werden zugänglich gemacht, sobald die Seite online ist. Es wird keine Bedingungen wie eine zu spielende Anzahl von Händen geben.
Was passiert mit meinen FPP-Punkten von Full Tilt?
Wir schauen uns das Treue-Programm von FTP im Detail an und werden in Kürze Genaueres dazu bekannt geben. Wir streben eine faire Lösung für die Spieler an.
Pressemeldung von PokerStars zum Kauf
PokerStars gab dazu am heutigen Abend folgende Pressemeldung heraus (in Auszügen auf deutsch):
Wir können heute bekannt geben, dass das Unternehmen mit dem DOJ eine Einigung erzielt hat. Ein Teil der Vereinbarung beeinhaltet, dass PokerStars die Besitztümer von Full Tilt erwirbt und alle nicht-amerikanischen Spieler in voller Höhe auszahlt.
Insgesamt muss PokerStars über drei Jahre $547 Millionen zahlen. Das Geld wird an die US-Regierung gezahlt und wird teilweise genutzt, um die amerikanischen FTP-Spieler über das DOJ auszuzahlen.
Über ein eigenes Konto wird PokerStars ferner $184 Millionen bereit stellen, um alle nicht-amerikanischen Spieler von FTP innerhalb von 90 Tagen auszuzahlen. Es wird keine Beschränkungen bei den Auszahlungen geben.
PokerStars plant, Full-Tilt-Poker als eigenständige Marke nach Aufbau eines neuen Managements in den meisten Märkten wieder online zu bringen. Die FTP-Operationen werden weiterhin von Dublin geleitet, doch die Lizenzierung wird auf der Isle of Man sein.
(…)
Komplettes Statement in Englisch:
POKERSTARS SETTLES DISPUTE WITH U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
AND ACQUIRES ASSETS OF FULL TILT POKER
ONCHAN, ISLE OF MAN – July 31, 2012 – PokerStars today announced that the Company has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Southern District of New York. As part of the settlement agreement, PokerStars has also acquired the assets of Full Tilt Poker, and has committed to the full reimbursement of Full Tilt Poker customers outside the United States.
The total amount to be paid by PokerStars is USD$547 million which will be payable over a period of three years. The money paid to the US Government will in part be used to reimburse former Full Tilt Poker customers in the United States, through a remission process to be administered by the Department of Justice. PokerStars repaid all amounts owing to its own U.S. customers shortly after it closed its U.S. operations.
PokerStars will also make available in a segregated bank account, all outstanding balances owing to all non-U.S. customers of Full Tilt Poker (an amount totalling USD$184 million), with no restrictions on withdrawals, within 90 days of completing this transaction. PokerStars has remained open for non-U.S. players, with all its licenses in good standing, without interruptions.
Under the agreement with the Department of Justice, PokerStars does not admit to any wrongdoing. Furthermore, the agreement explicitly permits PokerStars to apply to relevant U.S. gaming authorities, under both PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker brands, to offer real money online poker when State or Federal governments introduce a framework to regulate such activity.
PokerStars plans to re-launch Full Tilt Poker in most markets as a separate brand, following the appointment of a new, independent management team. Full Tilt Poker’s operations will continue to be run from Dublin, but regulatory oversight will be transferred to the Isle of Man. Further details of these plans will be announced shortly.
“We are delighted we have been able to put this matter behind us, and also secured our ability to operate in the United States of America whenever the regulations allow,” said Mark Scheinberg, Chairman of the Board of PokerStars. “This outcome demonstrates our continuing global leadership of the online poker industry, and our commitment to working with governments and regulators to ensure the highest standards of protection for players.”
“Acquiring certain assets of Full Tilt Poker strengthens PokerStars, brings welcome relief to Full Tilt Poker players who have been waiting over 12 months for repayment of their money, and benefits the entire poker community. Full Tilt Poker’s customers outside the U.S. can soon look forward to accessing their accounts and playing on the re-launched site, confident that they are supported by PokerStars’ history of integrity and our track record of delivering high-quality and secure online poker.”
“The way we have operated our business since the U.S. Department of Justice brought its claim has underlined our credentials as a responsible online poker operator,” Scheinberg continued. “In particular, the prompt repayment of our former US customers in as quick a time frame as possible demonstrated our industry-leading commitment to the segregation of customer funds. We continue to encourage jurisdictions all over the world to introduce sensible online poker regulation.”
Mitteilung des DOJ zum Deal
Settlement Requires PokerStars to Forfeit $547 Million and Full Tilt to Forfeit Virtually All of Its Assets
Funds to Be Made Available for Compensation to U.S. and Foreign Victims
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that the United States has entered into settlement agreements with PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker – two of three online poker companies sued by the U.S. in a money laundering and forfeiture complaint that was originally filed in April 2012 – that were approved today by U.S. District Judge Leonard B. Sand. Under the terms of the settlement with Full Tilt Poker (“Full Tilt”), the company agreed to forfeit virtually all of its assets (the “Forfeited Full Tilt Assets”) to the U.S. to fully resolve the charges in the complaint. Under the terms of the settlement with PokerStars, the company agreed to forfeit $547 Million to the U.S. and to reimburse the approximately $184 million owed by Full Tilt to foreign players, in order to fully resolve the allegations in the complaint. The settlement further provides that PokerStars will acquire the Forfeited Full Tilt Assets from the Government. Full Tilt’s U.S. fraud victims will be able to seek compensation for their losses from the Department of Justice from the $547 million forfeited by PokerStars.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “We are pleased to announce these settlements by Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars, which allow us to quickly get significant compensation into the victim players’ hands. Today’s settlements demonstrate that if you engage in conduct that violates the laws of the United States, as we alleged in this case, then even if you are doing so from across the ocean, you will have to answer for that conduct and turn over your ill-gotten gains.”
Under the terms of the settlement with Full Tilt, U.S. victims of the company’s alleged fraud will be able to seek compensation from the Department of Justice (“DOJ”). The funds that will be used to compensate qualifying victims will come from the $547 million that will be forfeited by PokerStars as part of its settlement with the Government.
In addition to forfeiting $547 million to the U.S., under the terms of the settlement with PokerStars, the company must make available to foreign players all balances that were held in the Full Tilt accounts within 90 days; the amount of those balances is approximately $184 million. Pokerstars will also acquire the Forfeited Full Tilt Assets from the Government.PokerStars’ acquisition of the Forfeited Full Tilt Assets will be complete upon the Government’s receipt of a $225 million payment from PokerStars, which must take place within six days of the entrance of today’s settlement.
Additional terms of the PokerStars settlement include:
Within 45 days of the acquisition of the Forfeited Full Tilt Assets, Isai Scheinberg, who is presently under indictment in a related criminal case, shall not serve in any management or director role at PokerStars. This provision is subject to re-evaluation by the parties upon the resolution of the criminal case.
PokerStars is also prohibited from employing, or otherwise hiring, Full Tilt Poker insiders Raymond Bitar, Howard Lederer, Rafael Furst, Chris Ferguson, and Nelson Burtnick. Bitar and Burtnick are also named as defendants in a related criminal Indictment. Bitar, Lederer, Furst, and Ferguson are named as civil money-laundering defendants in this complaint.
PokerStars is prohibited from offering online poker in the U.S. for real money unless and until it is legal to do so under U.S. law.
The Government will maintain a portion of the $547 million forfeited by PokerStars as a substitute for the forfeited Full Tilt assets to cover the litigation of claims by other parties asserting interests in the Forfeited Full Tilt Assets.
The settlements entered today with regard to Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars, and the proposed settlement with regard to Absolute Poker, do not constitute admissions of any wrongdoing, culpability, liability, or guilt by any parties. Under the terms of a “domain name use” agreement entered into between PokerStars and the Government on April 20, 2011, the company previously settled its accounts with U.S. players.
In a related matter, the U.S. Attorney’s office also filed a motion requesting that the Court enter a settlement agreement reached with Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet that requires the company to forfeit all of its assets (the “Absolute Assets”) in order to fully resolve this action. The motion also requests that the Government be permitted to liquidate the Absolute Assets, with the net proceeds of that sale to be held pending the resolution of claims filed by other parties who have asserted an ownership interest in the Absolute Assets.
The following allegations are based on the Amended Civil Forfeiture Complaint filed in September and the Indictments returned in the related criminal action:
On October 13, 2006, the United States enacted the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (“UIGEA”), making it a federal crime for gambling businesses to “knowingly accept” most forms of payment “in connection with the participation of another person in unlawful Internet gambling.” Despite the passage of the UIGEA, Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars, and Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet (“the Poker Companies”), each located offshore, continued operating in the United States. Because U.S. banks and credit card issuers were largely unwilling to process their payments, the Poker Companies allegedly used fraudulent methods to circumvent federal law and deceive these financial institutions into processing payments on their behalf. For example, the Poker Companies arranged for the money received from U.S. gamblers to be disguised as payments to hundreds of non-existent online merchants purporting to sell merchandise such as jewelry and golf balls. Of the billions of dollars in payment transactions that the Poker Companies deceived U.S. banks into processing, approximately one-third or more of the funds went directly to the Poker Companies as revenue through the “rake” charged to players on almost every poker hand played online.
To accomplish their fraud, the Poker Companies worked with an array of highly compensated “payment processors” who obtained accounts at U. S. banks for the Poker Companies. The payment processors lied to banks about the nature of the financial transactions they were processing, and covered up those lies, by, among other things, creating phony corporations and websites to disguise payments to the Poker Companies. For example, a PokerStars document from May 2009 acknowledged that they received money from U.S. gamblers through company names that “strongly imply the transaction has nothing to do with PokerStars,” and that PokerStars used whatever company names “the processor can get approved by the bank.”
Full Tilt Poker further defrauded players by misrepresenting that player funds on deposit in online gambling accounts were safe, secure, and available for withdrawal at any time. In reality, the company did not maintain funds sufficient to repay all players, and instead, utilized players’ funds to distribute more than $400 million to Full Tilt’s owners. By March 31, 2011, two weeks before the initial complaint in this action was unsealed, Full Tilt Poker owed approximately $390 million to players around the world, including approximately $160 million to players in the United States. At that time, Full Tilt Poker had only approximately $60 million on deposit in its bank accounts. Full Tilt Poker’s scheme continued even after the civil forfeiture action commenced and the related criminal Indictment was unsealed in April 2011. Full Tilt Poker continued accepting foreign player funds despite the fact that it had liabilities to players around the world for over $300 million, yet held only a small fraction of that amount in its bank accounts.
Eleven defendants were charged criminally in connection with the original Internet poker Indictment, seven of whom have been arrested. The defendants who have been arrested are: Raymond Bitar; Bradley Franzen; Ryan Lang; Ira Rubin; Brent Beckley; Chad Elie; and John Campos. All of the seven defendants except Bitar have each pled guilty and await sentencing with the exception of Campos, who was sentenced in June 2012 to three months in prison. Charges are still pending against the remaining four defendants – Nelson Burtnick, Isai Scheinberg, Paul Tate, and Scott Tom who remain at large. The charges and accusations against them are allegations and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara praised the FBI for its outstanding leadership in the investigation, which he noted is ongoing.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Asset Forfeiture and Complex Frauds Unit. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Sharon Cohen Levin, Michael Lockard, Jason Cowley, and Andrew Goldstein are in charge of the civil money laundering and forfeiture action. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arlo Devlin-Brown, Nicole Friedlander and Niketh Velamoor are in charge of the criminal case.
Dieser Artikel erschien auf PokerOlymp am 31.07.2012.
