The Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) has unveiled a third-party review of their revocation of Full Tilt Poker’s operating license. Commissioned in December 2011, this report was designed to provide transparency in what some saw as a controversial process. In order to address outside concerns, the group brought in Peter Dean, a former Chairman of the British Gambling Commission.
“The AGCC would like to thank Peter Dean for his detailed and thorough report,” said André Wilsenach, the group’s executive director. “We believed it was important, given the sensitivities surrounding the revocation of Full Tilt Poker’s licenses that an independent review should be carried out into the way in which the AGCC conducted itself throughout this process, and we are grateful that this has now been completed.”
Wilsenach goes on to say that, though the report found that the AGCC acted in a proper fashion, there were a few suggestions on how the process could be improved.
“We accept those proposals,” he said, “and will seek to implement them as soon as practically possible.”
With the investigation complete, it appears as though the pending purchase of Full Tilt may pick up steam. Group Bernard Tapie, long considered the frontrunner in the contest, has seen its Managing Director, Laurent Tapie, pick up stakes and move to the Irish city of Dublin. Pocket Kings, Full Tilt’s parent company, also makes its home in Dublin, bringing many to believe that the deal is all but done. Indeed, one source cited by PocketFives went so far as to say that the parameters of the purchase have been laid out.
“They are finalizing the deal with U.S. Department of Justice,” he said, “but it’s a done deal… Tapie is getting ready to reopen Full Tilt Poker in Europe. The deal should be signed next week.”
Elsewhere on the legal front, several of those indicted during Black Friday are now being given more time to address their civil complaint. Ray Bitar, Howard Lederer, Rafe Furst, and the aforementioned Chad Elie will have until May 14 to address the government’s grievances against them. Full Tilt, Absolute Poker, and PokerStars (the sites these men were involved with) will also be required to submit some sort of response by the late-spring deadline.
Elie, for his part, has already made something of a statement. The former payment processor recently entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, stating “I know that my conduct was wrong.” According to PokerNewsDaily, Elie faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Due to his cooperation, however, it appears as though the court is leaning toward a much more lenient judgment. A sentence of between six months to a year is expected, with a $500,000 fine tacked on. Though currently out on bail, he will return for sentencing at the beginning of October.
Another payment processor, Daniel Tzetkoff, has managed to wiggle out of a much more serious mess. By agreeing to appear as a witness for the prosecution, the 29 year-old will avoid a prison term which could have stretched to 75 years. A native of Australia, Tzetkoff handled more than $1 billion in illegal financial transactions, according to PokerNews. The star witness has been living under FBI protection since his arrest in 2010.