DOJ says Full Tilt was a global Ponzi scheme
20 September 2011
By Dan Igo
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday that Full Tilt Poker operated as a “global Ponzi scheme” and that its primary owners, including poker professionals Howard Lederer and Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, defrauded the site’s players out of hundreds of millions of dollars.
The DOJ filed a motion to amend an earlier civil complaint against Full Tilt Poker to include “additional allegations, claims, and defendants concerning a fraudulent scheme by Full Tilt Poker and its Board of Directors concerning the misuse of players’ funds,” according to a memorandum sent out by Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney from the Southern District of New York.
“Full Tilt was not a legitimate poker company, but a global Ponzi scheme,” Bharara said in a statement. “Full Tilt insiders lined their own pockets with funds picked from the pockets of their most loyal customers while blithely lying to both players and the public alike about the safety and security of the money deposited.”
The great equalizer visits New York’s Belmont Stakes! [gplus count="true" size="Medium" ]
All this week, I felt pretty confident that AK would take this race. It definitely was his to lose! The race between between AK and Shackleford proved to be the ONLY thing to consider.
After all, S loves the front end, but can’t hold on… AK loves to come from behind to take the win… especially since the Belmont is the longest race of the Triple Crown at a mile and a half!!
How could a come-from-behind horse with the stamina of AK NOT win???
Answer: When the great equalizer comes to the track! Read the rest…
My Squidoo lenses were “locked” today. That means taken down, unpublished, hidden away, destroyed, obliterated, bombed, and killed. Know why? Because they were about the Horse races; Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and one about Las Vegas (and how to save money on your next visit).
Those lenses were labeled by the Squidoo Brainiacs as Gambling.
These were simple lenses of information – that’s all – information. But the Squidoo Fools called the lenses: “Gambling”
Yes, Surprise was the word of the day yesterday as the Titanic of horse racing, the 1-9 favorite Uncle Mo lost to two (not just one, but two – Toby’s Corner and Arthur’s Tale) rivals in the Wood Memorial.
BTW: As you know, I had picked Uncle Mo to win that race (as did everyone else it seems – after all, he went off at 1-9) so that was a loss. What I didn’t have time to tell most of you was this. When Uncle Mo showed those odds (1-9) I jumped off him! At those odds, no horse is bettable because you risk your money for a very small return… it’s just not smart! So, the play in this case was to bet EVERY OTHER HORSE to win… and hope for an upset. Because, the closest odds to the favorite was an amazing 17-1 (late betting pushed him down to 8-1 – may have been his connections who always bet at the very last moment)… the other horses were well into the high 20′s, the 30′s, and beyond. So, place one unit on each of the other horses to win, and 2 units on the favorite-of-the-rest (8-1).
Playing $10 units, your bet would have been $90, and your return was nearly $200.
At the start of that race, Uncle Mo was also the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. Less than two minutes later… dog meat! Well, that’s a little harsh, he’s still a good horse in a so-so crop of 3 year olds. That’s horse racing! As we know, anything can and does happen. Unless it’s discovered that Uncle Mo was injured (and Bob Baffert said he tore a quarter at the gate) Uncle Mo had no excuses as the times were very, very slow.
The race to enter The Kentucky Derby tightens up considerably today through two very important prep races; the Santa Anita Derby, and the Wood Memorial.
Here’s how I see them:
Santa Anita Derby – Today’s SADerby is going to be hottly contested based upon of all things: the horses! Duh! You say… but consider the facts that great careful breeding, high prices, famous connections, perfect training and deep pocket owners can all do their parts and still not make the grade… in this case: The Grade I, Million Dollar SAD!
Allow me to rant! I want to join those who are disappointed at the least, and furious at most that Pia Toscano was eliminated from American Idol last night.
For me, the show is dead. I won’t be watching it anymore. I will find out who won of course in a few more weeks, but I won’t be watching it anymore.
It’s very important to note that one can Google “Pia” and she’s first and foremost out of millions of pages. The US has fallen in love! Not only is she the most beautiful girl on the show (sorry Lauren and what’s her name [Hailey]), but IMO the most talented too!
Sure, Dialed In, the 5-2 second favorite in the eight horse field ridden by Julien Leparoux and trained by Nick Zito, won the Florida Derby. But I have to ask “So What”? It was his trademarked long-strided stretch run that got him the win… but… Read the rest…
The Kentucky Derby race to the post begins today. There’s a big field of horses trying to qualify for the Run for the Roses. It’s a matter of money… that is, the top money earners of this year’s crop of three-year-olds will get into the big race on the first Saturday in May (May 7th).
Update: Results below…
Since 2004, the Kentucky Derby has had 20 horses in the race. If more than 20 (the limit) are entered Read the rest…
On one hand, I feel sorry for Cam Newton (QB – Auburn). Not for what he’s done, but because he’s doing just what his low-life father has taught him to do. Read the rest…
Oregon is #1 in BOTH (human) polls.
Oregon beat its opponent this week by a larger margin than did Auburn.
Oregon scores more points (and much sooner) than any other team.
Is ranked FIRST in many stats.
Oregon has a legitimate Heisman candidate.
Oregon has allowed fewer points in the second half than ANY other team.
(These facts just keep coming)
Yet Oregon is #2 to Auburn???????
… and ever worse: #3 Boise State (.8846) is closer to #2 Oregon (.9060) in points than Oregon is to #1 Auburn (.9371) in points….. What are they thinking? Read the rest…
I’m still here in Las Vegas – enjoying some profitable sports bets plus a few horses too! I’ve been away too long to know the horses, but I’m happy to see that the same handicapping tricks I used to teach STILL WORK!!!!
I stumbled upon a unique person… here’s a handicapper that Read the rest…
We’re still on death row, but he Government granted a reprieve.
We were all to become criminals on Tuesday, December 1, 2009. That was the day the dreaded (and dreadful) UIGEA was to be enforced. Yep, all this time it’s only been hanging over our vulnerable heads. Starting Tuesday, Bush’s sneaky, last-minute, hidden addition to the “Patriot Act” (HAHAHA) was forced upon us. Long live Freedom…
One by one our “freedoms” get eroded…
But, now with this BETTER Administration – There I said it: BETTER Administration. By the way, I like Pres Obama, but face it; ANY Administration would be better than Bush’s… ANY!
To be a good live poker player one must have little or no facial expressions. It isn’t as necessary when playing on a computer, but you may want to practice keeping a lifeless expression when you step away from Free Poker Games and step out into a casino.
Sitting at a table in an actual casino and trying to beat the other players can be quite challenging. Did you ever notice in the casino people wear sunglasses to cover the expression of a good hand or sheer panic of a good hand gone astray? Here even a good poker player will start to feel a little pressure.
The key to these situations is in the face – [spin/]to keep it neutral and not give anything away|to keep totally expressionless and hold composure[/spin]. The classic poker face no less. We’re not machines and everbody can be broken down, if you apply enough pressure you can turn a losing hand into a victory.
To be a good live poker player one must have little or no facial expressions. Behind a computer screen of course is a different story, but you may want to practice keeping a lifeless expression when you step away from Free Poker Games and step out into a casino.
Sitting at a table in an actual casino and trying to beat the other players can be quite challenging. Did you ever notice in the casino people wear sunglasses to cover the expression of a good hand or sheer panic of a good hand gone astray? Here even a good poker player will start to feel a little pressure.
The key to these situations is in the face – [spin/]to keep it neutral and not give anything away|to keep totally expressionless and hold composure[/spin]. The classic poker face no less. We’re not machines and everyone has their breaking point, if you apply enough pressure you can turn a losing hand into a victory.
To be a good live poker player one must have little or no facial expressions. Behind a computer screen of course is a different story, but you may want to practice keeping a lifeless expression when you step away from Free Poker Games and step out into a casino.
Sitting at a table in an actual casino and trying to beat the other players can be quite challenging. Did you ever notice in the casino people wear sunglasses to cover the expression of a good hand or sheer panic of a good hand gone astray? Here even a good poker player will start to feel a little pressure.
The key to these situations is in the face – [spin/]to keep it neutral and not give anything away|to keep totally expressionless and hold composure[/spin]. The classic poker face no less. We’re not machines and everbody can be broken down, if you apply enough pressure you can turn a losing hand into a victory.
ELEVEN OFFERS from competing companies show you how to convert your vehicle to run on Water! Save Money, Improve your engines' performance, get a tax break, and clean up the environment:
CLICK HERE to see The Six Leading Companies on Gas Conversion
