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Poker pro Daniel Negreanu defended his friend Phil Ivey on the posting boards this weekend, insisting Ivey had no part in the Full Tilt Poker debacle.
It has been nearly a year since Full Tilt Poker had its bank accounts froze by US authorities, claiming the company’s executives were engaging in bank fraud and money laundering. The Feds later alleged that three poker pros with shares in Full Tilt Poker helped perpetrate an elaborate ponzi scheme. These individuals included big name players Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson. Ivey was not accused of taking part in the scheme.
Full Tilt Poker was shut down by its licensing arm last summer. Players are still owed millions of dollars.
Here is what Negreanu had to say in defense of Ivey while still managing to take a swipe at foe Annie Duke a la the Full Contact Poker board:
The Ivey hate truly boggles my mind. Anyone who knows this guy knows he didn't have the first clue what was going on. Here is a guy, great poker player, but not interested in any of that crap. He has a bevvy of assistants, doesn't answer phone calls or texts, despite having several phones, loses his phones regularly. Up until a few years ago he didn't know how to use e-mail, before that, he didn't know how to turn on a computer, but once it was on, he sure knew how to beat the crap out of anyone who chose to play online poker against him.
Why does anyone differentiate Ivey from the rest of team FTP? Cause he was the best? Cause he was used in ads? Cause he was black? I don't get it! He wasn't on the board of directors and didn't care much at all what happened with daily operations. He was too busy either flying around the country hustling craps, or busting bankrolls online and at the Bellagio.
Was it because he chose to sue FTP? Wouldn't that decision, along with his statement tell you that he was NOT happy with the board and the decisions they were making? Shouldn't that separate him from the mess conducted by those at fault? The reasons for his lawsuit were legitimate. Those idiots called his bluff, and just like he would at the poker table, he showed them the nuts and they cowered.
As for Erik Seidel, we aren't friends and never really have been. I don't think he is shady in the least, we just rub each other the wrong way. Annie Duke is a good friend of his, and I can't say that I have a good relationship with anyone that chooses to be good friends with that woman.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
