Remission of FTP funds to US Players - Poker Legislation

They are going to handle country based on April 14, 2011. Nobody is really going to be able to come in here and give any answers about cashouts until the DOJ makes a statement to US players.

Please guys, do not speculate ITT.

That was a mistake, it's corrected to:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Jones

Hi folks -
A lot of people are asking about the date which is used to establish whether you're a "U.S." or "Rest of World" player, for the purposes of from whom you get your money.

We have officially confirmed that that date is June 29th, 2011. Reports that the date is April 14th, 2011 are incorrect. If your Full Tilt account had an address in the U.S. or U.S. Territories as of June 29th, you are considered to be a U.S. player.

Best regards,
Lee Jones

link in NVG FAQ

Last edited by PokerXanadu; 07-14-2014 at 10:42 AM.

Quote

07-31-2012 , 06:09 PM

Rich Muny

Former PPA President

Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 28,010

PPA Players Repayment Resource Center: www.theppa.org/repayment

It's just news for now, but will have detailed instructions on applying for repayment as info is made available.

Quote

03-13-2013 , 06:27 PM

Rich Muny

Former PPA President

Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 28,010

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Appointment Of Garden City Group As Claims Adminstrator For Forfeited Funds In U.S. v. Pokerstars That Will Be Returned To Victims: http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pres...alMasterPR.php

The claims administrator just put up a website: www.fulltiltpokerclaims.com

Quote

08-02-2013 , 04:37 AM

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Current thread on claims process:

Full Tilt claims submission: Sept. 16th - Nov. 16th

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheEngineer

GCG has announced that their will start claims processing! They will base claims on balances (and not deposits).

From http://www.fulltiltpokerclaims.com :

Full Tilt Poker Claims Administration

Important Notice to United States Victims of Full Tilt Poker Fraud

This is the official website for the Full Tilt Poker Claims Administration, as authorized by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. This administration is the result of the settlement agreement and resulting forfeitures resolving the allegations in the amended civil forfeiture complaint in United States v. PokerStars, et al., 11 Civ. 2564 (LBS), pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The Garden City Group, Inc. ("GCG") was retained by the United States to serve as the Claims Administrator of the forfeited funds.

Important Update About the Calculation Formula and Start of the Claims Process

GCG, working with the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section of the United States Department of Justice, has completed the review of data provided by Full Tilt Poker ("FTP"). It has been determined that the calculation formula to be used for the Petition for Remission process will be based on players' final balances with FTP as of April 15, 2011 (the "FTP Account Balances"). The claims process will begin shortly. Once the process begins, GCG will email instructions on how to complete an online claim to all potentially eligible claimants identified by GCG utilizing data supplied by FTP. Account balances from online poker sites other than FTP are not included in this remission process. Petitioners must also meet all other requirements outlined in 28 C.F.R. § 9.8 to be considered eligible for remission.

If you do not receive an email notice and you believe you are eligible to participate in the remission process, you may file a claim online using the directions that will be provided on this website.

If the forfeited funds available for distribution equal or exceed the aggregate FTP Account Balances for all eligible Petitioners, each eligible Petitioner with an approved claim will receive the entirety of his or her FTP Account Balance. If the aggregate FTP Account Balances for all eligible Petitioners exceed the funds available for distribution, payments shall be made to eligible Petitioners on a pro rata basis.

Please continue to check this website for updates regarding this administration.

Last updated August 1, 2013.

Summary of the Settlement Agreement and Forfeitures

In July 2012, the United States entered into settlement agreements with FTP and PokerStars - two of the three online poker companies named as defendants in a civil forfeiture action brought by the United States alleging bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling offenses. Under the terms of the settlement with FTP, the company agreed to forfeit virtually all of its assets to the United States (the "Forfeited Full Tilt Assets") in order to fully resolve the action. The amended complaint filed in that action alleged that FTP defrauded its players by misrepresenting to the public that player funds held by FTP were safe, secure and available for withdrawal at any time. In reality, the company did not maintain funds sufficient to repay all of its players and instead, utilized player funds to finance more than $400 million in dividend payments to Full Tilt's owners.

Under the terms of the settlement with PokerStars (the "PokerStars Settlement"), the company agreed, among other things, to forfeit $547 million to the United States and to assume FTP's liability for the approximately $184 million owed by Full Tilt to foreign players. The PokerStars Settlement also provides that PokerStars will acquire the Forfeited Full Tilt Assets from the Government and also precludes PokerStars from offering online poker for real money in the United States unless and until it becomes permissible to do so under relevant law. Utilizing funds forfeited from PokerStars in this action, the Department of Justice has established the Petition for Remission process, by which eligible U.S. fraud victims will be able to seek compensation for their losses.

Last updated August 1, 2013.

Last edited by PokerXanadu; 09-30-2013 at 04:45 AM.

Quote

08-17-2013 , 07:43 AM

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

GCG has announced the dates for the remission process:

Quote:

Important Update About the Start of the Claims Process

Starting on September 16, 2013, GCG will email a Notice with instructions on how to submit a Petition for Remission online to all potentially eligible claimants identified by GCG utilizing data supplied by Full Tilt Poker ("FTP"). The deadline to submit a Petition for Remission is November 15, 2013. Instructions concerning the filing of Petitions will be included in the Notice and will be posted on this website. Please continue to check this website for updates. Please note that the registration process for email notification is no longer available.

If you don't get an e-mail, you will still be able to file a claim. Go to their web site on or after Sept 16th, where details should be posted.

If you want to dispute the amount of your claim as it differs from your April 15, 2011 FTP balance due to withdrawals in limbo, later winnings, etc., you will be able to claim a different amount. Here is what GCG has said (by form email response):

Quote:

Thank you for your email. Once the process begins and if you receive an email notification that provides a Petition Number and Control Number you will have the opportunity to view your FTP Account Balance through the online filing process at www.FullTiltPokerClaims.com. If you disagree with the displayed FTP Account Balance you will be permitted to indicate your disagreement and must provide documentation such as complete unaltered copies of cancelled checks, wire transfers records, bank or credit statements or similar official transaction records to support your position. This supporting documentation must show the account holder's name, date, transaction descriptions, amount, and financial institution information.

There is no announced date as to when payments will start after the claims window is complete. Some speculate weeks, others months. It is likely that the total amount of funds available for repayments will exceed the total amount of claims, including disputed amounts, so the process may proceed quickly.

If you miss the claims window, you should still be able to make a late claim. If normal remissions process procedures are followed, such claims will be processed after all the on-time claims are processed, and repayment of such claims will depend on the amount of remaining remissions funds available. All such late claims, if valid, should be paid in full for as long as funds remain (up to some time limit I imagine).

To get your April 15, 2011 account balance from FTP, or account history:

1. Download the current FTP software client from FullTiltPoker.com;
2. Login using your old login credentials;
3. Update your registered e-mail address, if necessary;
4. From the main lobby click on the "Requests" drop down;
5. Click "Account History (web)";
6. Submit a request date of 04/15/2011 (through any relevant date for additional transactions);
7. Wait for an e-mail confirmation and click the link to download the spreadsheet file.

If you need help with login to your FTP account (lost password, missing key, etc.), contact FTP support: support@fulltiltpoker.com

Last edited by PokerXanadu; 10-18-2013 at 05:36 AM.

Quote

09-18-2013 , 11:40 AM

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheEngineer

PPA sent this to the membership yesterday:

On September 16th, Full Tilt Poker Claims Administrator Garden City Group began emailing notices to all U.S. Full Tilt Poker victims who are potentially eligible for remission. They are emailing notices today and tomorrow. Those receiving notices can file for remission starting 9/18.

The Notice provides instructions for filing petitions online through the Full Tilt Poker Claims Administration website. If you do not receive an email notice and you believe you are eligible to participate in the remission process, you can file a new petition online using the online filing tab on the left sidebar of the GCG Claims website, www.fulltiltpokerclaims.com, beginning September 18, 2013.

The PPA recognizes that a variety of questions will arise from this long-awaited process, and we stand ready to help our members. In the coming days, we will make available on our repayment center website an information guide that will help affected poker players navigate and understand the claims process, and (we hope) obtain all funds due. Our team will also be available to answer questions PPA members may have with the claims process.

Beginning September 16th, if you have a question regarding the claims process we ask that you email us at repayment@theppa.org. When emailing us, please keep in mind the following:

Priority in responding will be given to 2013 dues paying PPA members.
Include your full name and the email address associated with your PPA membership.
Please attach any supporting documents – emails, screenshots, etc. -- that will help us understand any issues, concerns or questions arising with your FTP claim.
Please understand that any response the PPA provides is purely informational. We are not providing legal advice, and you should not rely on any information we provide as a substitute for legal advice. There may be tax, or other legal ramifications that relate to your claims, and if you want advice specifically tailored to your situation, you should retain your own attorney.
If you provide us information, we may share that information with the Claims Administrator, but will do so only to help pursue your claim and/or other, similar claims by poker players. Thank you for your patience as we work to provide you with the most accurate information to help you.

The PPA is pleased that affected poker players will soon be reunited with their funds and we will continue to play an active role in working with the Department of Justice and Garden City Group to streamline the claims process and provide information to our members.

Proud to Play,

Poker Players Alliance

Quote

09-18-2013 , 12:03 PM

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Some quick answers to common concerns:

I can't find the link on the claims web site to start my remission application:

The link is at the upper left: "File a Petition for Remission". Or, go directly here:
https://secure.gcginc.com/PKR/Login.aspx

I get "Please enter a valid Petition Number" when I try to start my petition:

If your Petition Number is only 7-digits long, add a leading zero.

I get "Object reference not set to an instance of an object." at the top of the next page after starting my petition:

Ignore it and continue with the entries on that page.

I didn't receive an e-mail from GCG with my Petition Number and Control Number (P&C#s), needed to submit a claim:

First priority: check your spam.

Such emails from GCG have been going only to the email address which was the registered address on FTP. If you signed up on the claims web site and gave them a new email address, you will only get an email to that address which is a notice that the claims process is available, not the P&C#s email.

So, if you don't have access to your old FTP-registered email address, you won't have your P&C#s for making an automated petition on the claims web site.

I most cases, you can get your P&C#s by sending GCG an e-mail:

Send an email to info@fulltiltpokerclaims.com
Subject: Request for petition and control #
Body: FTP Player ID, Full name, Full address (old & new, if it has changed), Old & new e-mail addresses.

It may take as much as a week to get the P&C# email to the new email address (although you should get right away an automated acknowledgement e-mail from no-reply@FullTiltPokerClaims.com of receipt of your inquiry).

There have also been some reports of players being able to get their P&C#s over the phone from GCG. Call (866) 250-2640

Instead, if you don't have your P&C#s, you can go through the Create a New Petition process available on the petition web site:
https://secure.gcginc.com/PKR/Login.aspx

For the New Petition I suggest you provide the following supporting documentation:

1. A written explanation that you no longer have the old email address (naming this old email address) and give the new one.
2. Provide your FTP history showing their account balance as of April 15, 2011 (request it through the FTP client, as described in Post #6 above).
3. Provide a scan of government photo ID verifying your identity corresponding to your FTP account, and maybe your Social Security card.
4. If your physical mailing address has changed as well, provide some documents showing your old name and address (old bank statement, old utility bill, or such), and the same for your new address.

GCG will notify you (eventually, probably sometime after the Nov. 16 submission deadline) if they find that the evidence you provide is insufficient to approve the claim, giving you the opportunity to give them what they need to approve it.

If you haven't received the P&C#s email, it is also possible that GCG has identified you as an "affiliate" of FTP. You can find out if this is the case by contacting GCG by phone or email. GCG will be sending email instructions for filing a petition to those they have identified as an affiliate (with a one-month window for filing a petition). You should be prepared to file a petition by the original bar date of Nov 16th in case you don't receive such email in time.

I didn't receive the GCG P&C#s email even though I still have my old FTP email address:

Write or call GCG to see if they can help. You can ask them to verify if you appear in their database (based on your name and ftp-registered email address).

In the end, you may need to Create a New Petition through the petition web site. Be sure to provide as much documentation as you can to verify your identity and your claim amount. Follow the instructions in post #6 above to get your FTP account balance document as of April 15, 2011.

From reports in NVG by players, there doesn't seem to be any direct correlation between not getting an email from GCG and such things as having never made a deposit on FTP (i.e., starting with just a freeroll or player-to-player transfer), having an FTP account through a rakeback site, or getting some affiliate payments for referring a few friends to FTP. I suspect that not getting an email from GCG is mainly due to the vagaries of sending out emails to such a list - spam blocking, timeouts, address typos, defunct email servers, etc.

If you haven't received the P&C#s email, it is also possible that GCG has identified you as an "affiliate" of FTP. You can find out if this is the case by contacting GCG by phone or email. GCG will be sending email instructions for filing a petition to those they have identified as an affiliate (with a one-month window for filing a petition). You should be prepared to file a petition by the original bar date of Nov 16th in case you don't receive such email in time.

I should be getting a different amount than what shows for my P&C#s on the GCG petition web site after I login and verify my information:

You'll need to submit a dispute through the GCG petition site (click the To Dispute Balance button). Provide as much documentation as possible to support your dispute. Include things like your FTP account records, bank statements (even if just to show that no deposit was received during a period of a few months after 4/15/11), email records, etc., plus a personal written statement about why you are disputing the balance. GCG will notify you if they find that the evidence you provide is insufficient to justify the disputed amount, giving you the opportunity to provide them what they need to approve it.

When will my claim be processed and when will I get my remission money?

No one knows for sure at this point. For certain, it won't be before the player petition submission cutoff date of November 16, 2013. It will probably take something on the order of months (one or more) after that until remission payments start going out from GCG.

Based on current information, it does seem likely that everyone whose claim is accepted as valid will receive the full amount of their claim.

Do I need to pay income taxes on my remission payment?

As explained in the US Taxes Sticky in this forum, winnings in poker are taxable as gambling income, and losses are deductible as an itemized deduction (or as a business deduction for professional players) up to the amount of winnings.

The portion of your remission payment that represents winnings is taxable. If you haven't already reported those winnings as gambling income in prior years, they should be reported on your next income tax return. The portion that represents money that you deposited on FTP would not be gambling income and does not have to be reported on your income tax return.

The claims web site has the following displayed on their FAQ page (http://www.fulltiltpokerclaims.com/faq.php ):

“Prior to the payment of funds to a Petitioner, GCG will provide the Petitioner’s Social Security or other Taxpayer Identification Number to the Government, in order to offset and collect any qualifying debts currently listed in the Treasury Offset Program.”

This means that if you have any debts to federal government agencies, such as for delinquent student loan payments or back taxes due, they will tap your remissions payment for the money due. It does not mean that GCG or the government will withhold a portion of your remission payment for income taxes on that payment. If some or all of your remission payment is taken to pay debts to the government, you will still be liable for income taxes on the full portion of the remission payment that represents poker winnings.

See this interview of Russ Fox for more information on the income tax implications.

Last edited by PokerXanadu; 10-18-2013 at 05:47 AM.

Quote

09-23-2013 , 09:24 PM

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

From player reports, GCG has had trouble getting the Petition & Control Number e-mail sent to hotmail addresses. If you have hotmail (or any email address where you have been unable to get the P&C#s email) and haven't gotten your P&C# email, I suggest the following:

Create an email account with another service such as gmail.
Send an email to info@fulltiltpokerclaims.com:
Subject: Request for petition and control #
Body: FTP Player ID, Full name, Full postal address (old & new, if it has changed), Old & new e-mail addresses.

I may take as much as a week to get the P&C# email to the new email address (although you should get right away an automated acknowledgement e-mail from no-reply@FullTiltPokerClaims.com of receipt of your inquiry).

There have also been some reports of players being able to get their P&C#s over the phone from GCG. Call (866) 250-2640

Last edited by PokerXanadu; 10-01-2013 at 05:12 PM.

Quote

09-27-2013 , 06:27 PM

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Quote:

Originally Posted by zerosum79

I am crossposting this in both the NVG thread and here.

Hi Guys,

I had emailed GCG a few times to the info@ email address and still not heard back from them with a petition and control #. 3-4 days ago.

I just got off the phone with them again and there appears to be a shift in policy and it seems that if they have your petition and control #'s available they will provide them over the phone. I got mine.

I went on to fill out the information. There are several things that are worth noting.

0. My amount was as expected based on May 20, 2013. They must believe that the tournament tickets and other things that were available to you on April 15 included these amounts in your April 15 balance.
1. You will need your bank address. For my bank this is where I opened the account.
2. You will need the bank ACH routing number. This is not necessarily your checking account routing number. For my bank it is not the same.
3. You appear not to be able to go in and edit information after you have submitted. I have no idea what process follows if you mess up any of these details but I would guess at some point you will be able to edit the information if you made mistakes.

Best,
zero

Quote

09-30-2013 , 07:21 PM

#10

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Some important new information and clarification:

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1938ford

I spoke, at some length, with an Attorney for the AFMLS working on this case today. She is the same Attorney that graciously returned my call to discuss another issue a few weeks ago. During our discussion she told me the AFMLS is acutely aware of the various issues and problems with the remissions process to date, including the "affiliate issue", in fact they follow these forums. She said there has been some discussion about adding an FAQ or two to the web site to try to help people understand the process. In the interim, she shared the following:

1. GCG will not be the decision maker in allowing or denying petitions. It is the job of GCG to collect the petitions, compile information from them, identify issues and questions and to submit that information to the AFMLS for resolution. Consequently, the "affiliate" issue will be handled at levels above the scope of authority granted GCG.

2. This is the first million plus claim remission case the AFMLS has handled. It is also the first case that has allowed electronic submission of petitions. It has been and continues to be, challenging. As such they are still in the process of identifying problems and working on solutions. These problems include the inability to upload more than 10 documents and the inability to delete or amend a petition or document that has been submitted. [MOD NOTE: Up to 100 documents can now be uploaded. Contact GCG to amend a petition which is already submitted.] She reports GCG is working on these types of solutions. She shared there is concern with the many multiple petitions filed by the same victim(s) delaying the process and suggests people get everything in order before they submit their petition and to have it ready when they submit.

3. She also suggests that petitions do not have to be submitted today and that petitions received on the last day to submit will be in the same position as petitions received on the first day. There will be no prejudice associated with filing later, rather than sooner.

4. She also indicated the AFMLS hopes to be able to make interim distributions in this case. This would mean that it is possible payments can be made to the undisputed claimants before all disputed claims are completely resolved. This decision has NOT YET BEEN MADE and will be primarily dependent on the calculations of total claims versus total money available to pay the the claim. Because of this the decision on making interim distributions must necessarily wait until sometime after the bar date and after the total amount of money claimed by petitioners is able to be calculated. With a million plus petitions she did say this may take some time.

5. She also shared that the concerns about the DOJ wanting to keep players money or delay payments so that interest can be collected are unfounded. It costs the DOJ money from their budget to prosecute these cases and make remissions. None of the money seized or forfeited goes to the DOJ.

6. She told me the DOJ wants to return the victims their money. They do not want the people responsible for the fraud or people that benefited directly from the fraud to also benefit from remission. This is the purpose of the "exclusion list".

7. [outdated info deleted by mod]

8.The current plan for petitions that are in dispute and have problems identified by GCG, such as no proof or not enough proof of the loss claimed, is to send a deficiency notice to the petitioner to allow them to correct or amend their petition before it is submitted for a ruling. [outdated info deleted by mod] The submission of an amended petition after the deficiency notice is not the appeal from denial. It is an interim step the AFMLS and GCG have designed to make the petition approval process move faster and to minimize denied petitions and their subsequent appeal.

9. [outdated info deleted by mod]

10. She told me GCG should not be telling people they are excluded from submitting a petition. She recommends that everybody that feels they are a victim of the FTP file a petition. She wanted to make it clear to victims that they do not need a Petition and Control Number from GCG to submit a petition.

I know most of this information is not earth shattering news. In fact, most of it has already been posted ITT as opinion. But, I hope this serves to provide some confidence to the people understandably concerned because they are on the affiliate list that the AFMLS is at least aware of the issue and has plans to deal with it. The person I spoke with is a real person, an attorney for the AFMLS and is specifically assigned to the FTP case. I know it is no substitute for direct information, so I suggested, if possible, she try to get the topic added to FAQs as soon as possible. She indicated she would follow up with the proper people with that suggestion.

Last edited by PokerXanadu; 10-18-2013 at 05:59 AM.

Quote

10-04-2013 , 06:21 AM

#11

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Latest update on the claims web site:

Quote:

IMPORTANT UPDATE

We are pleased to report that the Remission Process is now well underway. All told, GCG has sent over 1.4 million email notifications to Full Tilt Poker (“FTP”) players, and in response GCG has already received over 23,500 Petitions through the online filing system.

The email notification process is now complete. If you did not receive an email and you believe you are in Full Tilt's database and should have been identified as a potentially eligible player, please contact us to provide your updated email address and we will provide you with your Petition and Control numbers if you have been assigned them. To the extent GCG has been provided with physical mailing addresses, we will be sending postcards to Petitioners whose emails were returned as undeliverable in the next few weeks.

No one is prevented from filing a Petition for Remission. If GCG is unable to provide you with a Petition and Control number, you may still file a new Petition by clicking here and then clicking on the "Create a New Petition" button. All Petitions—confirmed, disputed and new—will be reviewed after the filing deadline, using the Department of Justice criteria to determine eligibility for remission.
Updated: 10/3/13

Quote

10-07-2013 , 05:40 PM

#12

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Quote:

Originally Posted by Go Get It

Just got off the phone with Patrick from the GCG and directly to this issue they know about it and it has since been changed to where one can upload "close to unlimited" documents. So this is now a non issues imo.

More specifically he said anyone who is disputing their balance, to which he mentioned there have been "a lot" of people who withdrew on BF or after, will be notified after the bar date on whether their claim would be considered sufficient or deficient. Assuming deficient one would be able to add more evidence to their claim in an attempt to bolster their position. If they could not add anything more or if what they add is deemed immaterial you would receive what the GCG got from FTP that was shown when you logged in initially.

Also I was personally told that, to Patrick, that my disputed evidence looked good and seemed reasonable. Obv he made no promises but seemed upbeat on the odds that I would get what I disputed. Again, I sent in bank statements, the FTP spread sheet, and a letter explaining everything I had sent along. He logged into his computer using my last name and insta was able to show what I had attached. Also it was nice knowing that they got what I sent along as almost all of it is very personal information from my bank. Obv just stuck trusting the GCG not to lose it, but good to know it got sent to the right place.

That's about all I got. Just gotta ride it out till the 16th imo.

Quote

10-11-2013 , 05:53 PM

#13

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Update today on claims web site:

Quote:

NOTICE TO AFFILIATES OF FULL TILT POKER

It has been determined that Affiliates of Full Tilt Poker ("FTP") will be able to submit Petitions for Remission to recover the portion of their account balances that does not relate to their Affiliate status. Affiliate accounts have been flagged as such because the player signed up with FTP as an Affiliate. If you are an Affiliate, you will be able to submit a Petition for the portion of your account balance that relates to poker transactions, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. GCG is in the process of receiving updated data from FTP concerning Affiliates' accounts. Once GCG receives and completes its review of the data, we will email all Affiliates of record to provide instructions for the Petition process and provide login credentials for online filing. You will then have 30 days to submit a Petition. The filing process for Affiliates will not delay the processing or payment of other Petitions for Remission.

Last edited by PokerXanadu; 10-18-2013 at 06:00 AM.

Quote

10-11-2013 , 06:09 PM

#14

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

The FAQ on the claims web site now has answers to several of the outstanding questions:

Quote:

...

20. What should I do if my FTP Account Balance is not correct because a withdrawal or other transaction was not completed before FTP shut down its operations on April 15, 2011?

GCG is aware that not all withdrawals and other transactions were completed prior to FTP's close of business. We will be working with FTP to include such information in calculating players' account balances. If you disagree with the account balance displayed through the online filing site, you may dispute the balance by following the instructions and supplying documentation evidencing your correct balance.

21. How many documents can I upload if I choose to dispute my displayed account balance or if I am filing a new Petition?

You may upload up to 100 documents of supporting documentation, if needed. You may also email us additional documentation at: Info@fulltiltpokerclaims.com.

22. Can I update or remove a document before submitting my Petition?
Yes, prior to submitting your Petition you may remove any documents that you uploaded. However, once you click on the "submit" button to file your Petition, you will not be able to make any changes to the Petition or the documents submitted. If you have any questions about your submission, please contact us.

23. I do not have a Social Security Number because I am not a United States citizen, but can I still file a Petition?

If you are a U.S. citizen, or if you are not a U.S. citizen but you have a Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number, you must provide it when you file your Petition. If you are not a U.S. citizen and if you do not have a Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number, you must so declare under penalty of perjury when you file your Petition; you must also provide documentation evidencing your citizenship, such as a valid passport, by sending a copy of the document to the Claims Administrator either by email or mail. Do not send originals.

24. I did not receive an email containing a Petition and Control Number and believe I should have. Can you tell me why?

There are several reasons why you may have not received an email Notice containing login credentials. Notices were sent based on data received from FTP. In many cases, email addresses may have been outdated and no longer valid. Also, if we did not receive your name and email address in the data supplied by FTP, an email was not sent. Additionally, if you were identified by FTP as a Team FTP player, or were otherwise identified as ineligible, you would not have received an email Notice. Please see an important update on the home page concerning the remission process for players who are FTP Affiliates.

25. What happens if GCG is unable to provide me with a Petition Number and Control Number?

If GCG is unable to provide you with a Petition and Control Number, you may still use the tab on the left sidebar of this website to file a new Petition for Remission. All Petitions, whether confirmed, disputed, or new will be reviewed using the Department of Justice criteria to determine eligibility for remission after the bar date.

Quote

10-16-2013 , 11:09 AM

#15

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

I have been told by GCG (by email or phone) that I have been tagged as an FTP affiliate and am not eligible for remission:

It seems GCG is in the process of sorting out with FTP who was an actual marketing affiliate (someone who earned money from referring other players) and how much they earned for their referrals. From all current indications, the DOJ will allow such affiliates to claim remission for their money from poker play. In practical terms, GCG will deduct from the FTP player balance any dollar amount earned from referrals as a marketing affiliate, and the remaining player balance is eligible for remission. That's the theory at this point, anyway.

No matter what formula and data they use in the end, anyone owed money as a player by FTP is entitled to apply for remission by submitting a petition, regardless of what they have been told.

Note that if you never received your P&C#s, you should find out from GCG if it is because you are tagged as an affiliate (which may or may not be justified). If so, you can either wait for the email from GCG to those tagged as affiliates with instructions for filing a petition (probably the best option), or file a petition now. If not, ask GCG for your P&C#s for filing your petition, or simply file a New Petition on the claims web site.

If you are tagged as an affiliate and are waiting for the new email from GCG, you may want to plan to file a New Petition by the Nov 16th bar date if you don't get such email in time, just to keep your bases covered.

Quote

10-16-2013 , 11:52 AM

#16

Rich Muny

Former PPA President

Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 28,010

Poker Advocacy w/ Rich Muny Show (10/13): Interview with Patrick "Skallagrim" Fleming

For a great, very detailed discussion on the issues we've seen with remission, check out the webcast Skall and I did on 10/13:

- http://podcasts.ontiltradio.com/play...ct-14-2013.mp3
- https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/...ign-mpt=uo%3D4 (iTunes)

Quote

10-16-2013 , 08:43 PM

#17

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Some more info on "affiliate status":

Quote:

Originally Posted by sangaman

Short update on my situation: I got a call from GCG saying that they're going to let "affiliates" apply and that they'd e-mail me when they have more information from Full Tilt. I asked if this information would include what portion of my balance they consider to be from affiliate payments and they said yes. I'm pretty sure that I made very little money (and possibly zero) from their affiliate program so that's not a problem for me, if they count all my rakeback payments as affiliate payments then it's a big problem.

I also asked about what I should do with the claim I'd already made. They said that it would be flagged as a duplicate and nullified, and that the claim I'd go forward with would use the control number they give me once they get more info from FT.

Quote

10-17-2013 , 05:51 PM

#18

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Addition to the claims web site FAQ today:

Quote:

26. Are Full Tilt Points, Iron Man Medals and other bonuses going to be refunded or included in my account balance?

Full Tilt Points were a marketing tool and have no monetary value – they will not be refunded and are not reflected in account balances. Iron Man Medals and similar bonuses will also not be redeemed for their cash value and are not reflected in account balances.

Quote

10-24-2013 , 12:36 PM

#19

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Updated information for those tagged as an affiliate:

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingKongGrinder

I spoke to Patrick again today and he thinks the rakeback situation looks to be cleared up and we should be fine, but not 100% yet. He didn't have an ETA on when affiliate accounts can expect emails and he doesn't know if we will get them by the bar date. He did say we can file a new petition by the bar date or wait for the affiliate emails. I think I feel more comfortable filing a new petition by the bar date. If we do file, he said the new email with P&Cs will supercede our original filing. If you do have P&Cs and were flagged as an affiliate, he doesn't recommend filing with the numbers. The balance associated with the P&Cs will possibly change after they scrub the data from FTP and it may cause some problems with the filing. He says to just file a new petition with your transaction history spreadsheet from FTP.

Disclaimer: This post isn't intended to be advice from me on how affiliates should file. I'm just communicating information given to me from a rep at GCG. I'm in no way an expert on this process.

Quote

11-07-2013 , 06:29 AM

#20

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Some info for FTP Red Pros:

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheEngineer

I have a new update from the Department of Justice's communications with PPA.

Many former Full Tilt Poker "red pros" who were not members of Team Full Tilt had previously been informed by FTP Claims Administrator Garden City Group that they would not be eligible for remission. It was unclear if they were being grouped with Team Full Tilt (Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, etc.) -- a group deemed ineligible by name by the DoJ -- or if they were deemed de facto employees due to their sponsorships and denied on that basis. Either way, that did not seem fair. These were simply sponsorships, akin to a sponsored golfer or race car driver.

So, in the course of our discussions with DoJ on the broader issues we face, PPA brought up this issue.

DoJ just emailed PPA (and I have the actual email, so I am accurately relating its contents) on the matter. They are aware of the issue and it is under review. They have a very good understanding that these players are not Team Full Tilt and are reviewing it with that in mind.

They mentioned that anyone can file a petition, so if DOJ does not provide an update on this matter prior to the bar date of 11/16, anyone who believes they are eligible should submit a “new” petition to ensure consideration along with those petitioners who dispute their account balance.

DoJ could have easily said these players are de facto employees with a simple, "did they get paid by the hour?" It's a great reconsideration on their part IMO and I'm glad they see it as the right thing to do.

Quote

11-07-2013 , 06:31 AM

#21

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Info re timeline for remission payments:

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheEngineer

The new news for FTP is that remission checks for uncontested balances are "optimistically" expected to go out before the end of the first quarter of 2014.

Mod Note: By "checks", he means e-checks (i.e., ACH transfers), not paper checks.

Last edited by PokerXanadu; 11-07-2013 at 04:36 PM.

Quote

11-15-2013 , 09:13 PM

#22

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Update today on the claims website:

Quote:

IMPORTANT REMINDER OF FILING DEADLINE AND
NOTICE TO FULL TILT AFFILIATES AND PROS

The deadline to submit Petitions for Remission is Saturday, November 16, 2013.

There will be a limited extension to the November 16, 2013 filing deadline for players who are Affiliates and for certain players identified as Pros in the data supplied by Full Tilt Poker (“FTP”). For players identified as Affiliates, please see the Notice below. For players identified as Pros, it has been determined that the only Pros who will be deemed ineligible to participate in this remission process are Team Full Tilt players and other players who were playing with funds from FTP or who were compensated by FTP to play on the FTP site. GCG is working with the Government to review the status of players who have been designated as ineligible Pros. Once this review is completed, for any such players who are deemed to be eligible to participate, GCG will email the players to provide instructions regarding the Petition process. Such players will have 30 days from notification to submit a Petition. Please continue to check this website for updated information.

We are in the process of reviewing Petitions filed by Petitioners who confirmed their balances online and who have not disputed their FTP Account Balance or submitted multiple Petitions. We expect payments to be made with respect to such Petitions with confirmed balances by March 31, 2014.

Updated: 11/15/13

Quote

11-15-2013 , 09:42 PM

#23

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Latest info for "affiliates":

Quote:

Originally Posted by nimbus

I spoke to a CGC "case officer" today. He seemed pretty knowledgeable.

- Further instruction emails to people tagged as affiliates have not been sent out. They do not have a date for sending it out.

- The Nov 16 deadline does not apply to people tagged as affiliates

- Affiliates will get emails with new P&C numbers. If you had previously filed, the new P&C numbers will over ride your old case. They will check to see if a person has duplicate claims in the system.

- There will not be any harm in filling a claim (as a placeholder) before the Nov 16 deadline if that makes you more comfortable.

Quote

11-20-2013 , 11:31 PM

#24

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

The GCG FAQ was updated today:

Quote:

9. Is there a deadline to submit a Petition for Remission?

The deadline to submit a Petition for Remission was Saturday, November 16, 2013. If you have not yet submitted your Petition, you may still do so. However, please be advised that there is no guarantee that late-filed Petitions will be accepted.

Quote

01-22-2014 , 09:07 PM

#25

PokerXanadu

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,583

Latest update:

Quote:

Originally Posted by PPAdc

I spoke with AFMLS/DoJ staff today and they informed me that they have approved approximately 30,000 undisputed player claims totaling approx $82 million dollars in remissions. Garden City should be making a formal announcement on its website, fulltiltpokerclaims.com, within the next 24 hours. Players with undisputed claims should be looking for an email from Garden City Group within the next few weeks with instructions on how to receive their payment. The DoJ could not provide me with a definitive date on when these emails will go out and when payments will be processed. But it looks like it will be in advance of their March 31 deadline.

Further, they indicated that some of the 30,000 undisputed claims were filed incorrectly or incompletely, therefore those individuals will receive an email outlining the issues with their claim. I do not believe this is a significant number, but significant enough for the DoJ to raise it.

The question of affiliates and pros is still unresolved. The DoJ and Garden City are working on this very diligently and I trust they will be sharing news with this affected class of players soon. As they have indicated, there will be a new filing window for those players.

Finally, there is still not a timeline for disputed claims that were filed by the deadline. They are still working on those and hope more info will be available once the undisputed funds are released. FTP players who for some reason have still not filed a claim can still do it and those claims will be considered.

Overall, I was very impressed that the DoJ worked through these issues and shared the info with the PPA. It has been a long time coming, but I think phase I and 82 million of players money will be returned very soon.

John A. Pappas
Poker Players Alliance
Executive Director

Quote

Page 1 of 2

First

1 2

Last

Post Reply Subscribe

...

Page 1 of 2

First

1 2

Last