LIVE TICKER: PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, UB and AP charged in US

The FBI has seized the main internet domains of the biggest US-facing poker rooms and charged its owners and managers with fraud, money laundering and illegal gambling.

Executives at PokerStars, FullTilt Poker, UltimateBet and AbsolutePoker have been charged with several felonies such as illegal gambling, money laundering and fraud. The main internet domains of these poker rooms were seized and now show an FBI notice. The FBI apparently also seized or froze more than 75 bank accounts of poker payment processors located in the US.

The main subjects of the charges are eleven poker executives such as Isai Steinberg of PokerStars and Raymond Bitar of Full Tilt Poker. Thus far there have been two arrests in the US, but neither are thought to be poker executives. The other defendents aren't currently on US soil according to a statement by the US Department of Justice. If arrested and convicted, the defendants could face very significant fines and possibly even jail time.

The orginial Twitter message released by news agency Reuters reads: "Three Largest Internet Poker Companies Charged With Fraud, Illegal Gambling – Pokerstars, Full Tilt Poker, & Absolute Poker – Charged".


Please note: Currently you can access the websites of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker using the domains below. You can also download the client software there.
 Poker Stars:       http://pokerstars.eu
 Full Tilt Poker:   http://fulltiltpoker.co.uk