Absolute Poker is absolutely rigged. (New evidence, near certain proof its rigged).

[lots0]

Jetset, do you have a link to the radio show?
I would like to listen to it, if possible.

 

[pokeraddict]

Im past caring who is a shill and who isnt. Im bored with the entire AP saga. I want genuine results. I wish someone like pokeraddict would offer an independent review. He is probably the most knowlegable poker person I know on this site & was the first person i know to point to AP's indescresions

Nat went down there but I don't feel he was able to see all he needed to see, especially the user363 account and how it was abused.

Also some serious and seemingly credible reports have some out that there have been some odd runs on UB around the time the other story broke. The accusers are still gather evidence.

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The oddest part is how this user doesn't exist anymore. It was simply deleted.

 

[jetset]

Jetset, do you have a link to the radio show?
I would like to listen to it, if possible.

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[lots0]

jetset - I guess I am not very fast today, but I could not find your interview at the link you provided.

 

[jetset]

Don't know what's happening then, Lots0 - I've just double checked and it's right there on that page - click on the start arrowhead and it takes you straight into the pokertube interview with Field.

 

[mussy]

Kahnawake report out

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- go to News, then 'KGC completes investigation...', then download the pdf.

I warn you, it's disappointing. Lacking in detail, and not giving access to the actual audit.

 

[Mousey]

Thank you Mussy.

I suggest everyone interested read it, it won't take very long at all.

I am not impressed.

Throughout all of this, I still have seen nothing from AP about anyone filing criminal charges against the individuals who did this.

 

[mussy]

The one interesting part is item 2, the deletion of game records and logs. But the detail isn't there to see how extensive this was. And it's hard to tell whether they are saying that the absence of earlier HH than a few months back was deliberate (as seems likely to me) or whether they are talking about something else.

What is needed is access to the actual audit, not a second hand report on it.

 

[lots0]

The "report" is a "White Wash".

Simple admission and move on strategy by Absolute.

Don't admit anything other than the cheating occurred. (they already did admit the cheating occurred once so it would be truly unbelievable to go back and try to say it did not happen...)

No names, no details, no charges filed.... Nothing.

These folks at Absolute Poker and KGC must have been taking lessons from American Politicos in how to get the public to over look the fact they are a bunch of scum bags...

Only stupid people or greedy affiliates will be satisfied with this non-report.

 

[KellyBlend]

This was a limited scope audit and the result of this audit is the insight that the "impugned activities" - as far as alleged and already proven - occurred. I think the KGC will never publish the wording of the audit report.

We have only a view new insights. The most important one is that subsequent to the impugned activities having taken place, person(s) associated with APs operations deleted certain gaming logs and records which had the effect of hampering the Commission's investigation . but this obstacle did not effect the limited scope of the audit.

Whatever this means, the result is that nobody can prove any further wrongdoing and all parties involved saved their face. Business must go on. And we do also not know anything about the software the cheaters used to view the hole cards.

 

[GaryWatson]

Now theres a surprise, I managed to avoid this thread last night, when I was in a drunken ranting mood

 

[pokeraddict]

KGC claims in an earlier statement they own AP. Now they are fining AP $500,000. Are they fining themselves? Maybe I misunderstood?

Obviously there are massive details left out and covered up. Who's surprised? KGC and AP obviously don't take it seriously. Why should they when people still play there and affiliates continue to support them sending unknowing players to these thieves?

Right now there isnt a more secure room online that AP and UB.

The above quote was made on CAP in a disgusting post and has been echoed by the likes of G911. When affiliates make comments like this and continue to support rogues it shows you just why rooms like AP don't have any reason to change.

 

[KellyBlend]

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) announced today an audit into the current and historic activities of Absolute Poker and interaction with its gaming and financial systems. As a KGC licence holder Absolute Poker is obliged to adhere to the Regulations Concerning Interactive Gaming.

Absolute Poker has agreed to fully cooperate with the KGC and / or its agents.

Mr David Montour, the Commissions Chairman, said, This week allegations of impropriety have been bought to the attention of the Kahnaw:ke Gaming Commission. We have appointed experts to conduct a thorough audit of all circumstances, provide findings and recommendations to the Commission. The audit will not be restricted to examining theories circulating in Internet chat rooms and fora.

.........

Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake
17 October, 2007

Annotation:
The technique to limit the scope of an audit subsequently is one possibility for the auditor to change the wording of an audit report.

 

[GaryWatson]

No matter what the outcome of the report, I have seen enough to avoid them like the plague. Maybe I am being narrow minded but when I deposit money, Its my money (until the likes of pokeraddict takes it off me). I want a site that is honest all of the time, not just some of the time. yeah, Lots0, whitewash but what can we do other than warn others. Too many brown paper bags in the industry.

I think the US made a stupid move last year, but something has to be done & the current regime is a joke.

 

[pokeraddict]

Its my money (until the likes of pokeraddict takes it off me).

 

[KellyBlend]

We in Europe have more or less the same situation than in the US or even Canada. I think that it would be the right decision to force the KGC, to do the right things in the right direction.

 

[mussy]

(cut and pasted from pokerati)

(JANUARY 11, 2008) Absolute Poker (AP) issued the following statement today in response to the Kahnawake Gaming Commissions (KGC) release of its report In the Matter of Absolute Poker Investigation Regarding Complaints of Cheating.

When Absolute Poker notified the KGC of the security breach in our system, we had every expectation that the Commission would undertake a comprehensive and fair investigation. After reviewing the published report, we recognize the completeness and accuracy of the KGC conclusions, and we accept without reservation the KGCs findings and sanctions. Most importantly, we are pleased, after these many months, that Absolute Poker can finally put behind it a most distressing and regrettable experience for the Company, its employees, and its customers.

The KGC points out that AP has taken the appropriate actions to address the vulnerability in its systemsand to prevent its systems from being compromised again AP has appointed a team of both internal and external members to improve controls and install safeguards, and accepts the audit findings as an opportunity to improve our internal practices and guarantee the safest playing environment in the industry.

We are pleased that the KGCs findings of fact point out that there is no evidence to indicate that the impugned activities were initiated or sanctioned by APor were intended to benefit AP, as a corporate entity. The report also states that AP made expeditious efforts to appropriately reimburse all playerswith interest who were affected by the cheating.

The Company also regrets the inadvertent deletion of certain gaming logs and records during the course of the investigation, although AP is relieved that these deletions did not, according to the KGC, prevent the Commission from obtaining sufficient information

Having experienced first-hand the devastating impact of a security breach, we fully appreciate the importance of trust and security for AP itself and the broader industry. A secure site goes to the heart of player confidence, and we are more committed than ever to ensuring that confidence. To that end, we have taken it upon ourselves to convene on January 18, 2008 the first of a series of poker security summits. AP will invite respected and independent members of the poker community to focus on innovative and cutting-edge ways to further improve APs security and enhance its transparency.

As AP has repeatedly stated in the past, we regret the damage done to our players and to our own reputation by this incident. We acknowledge that the Company did not act with sufficient speed to uncover the fraud; however, once we were convinced of the veracity of the allegations, we moved quickly to inform the KGC and to reimburse affected players. While AP is paying a severe penalty for the fraud perpetrated upon the Company and its customers, we are gratified that we can now close the book on this sordid affair and return our full focus to providing the safest, most secure, and most eenjoyable poker playing experience in the industry.

 

[GaryWatson]

Its laughable. stealing from players is one thing. What stuck in my throat was the theft from charity. now there is low & just scraping the barrel. To be honest I just consider the whole saga sickening

 

[Self Made]

The thing that struck me about the report (along with the lack of detail we would like to see) was that they didn't make any mention of punishment of the person/people who destroyed evidence. Sanction 1(c) talks about removing the person responsible for the impugned activities. But the definition of impugned activities in the first paragraph only seems to refer to the cheating. Of course it's possible they were the same person.

And what about the choice of words "mind and management?" If they're just an employee, you fire them and that's the end of it. But if they were an owner they could still have an influence on "mind."

Was the guilty party AJ Green, or whatever his real name is, as I've seen reported? I don't know the evidence well enough to express an opinion on that.

KGC claims in an earlier statement they own AP. Now they are fining AP $500,000. Are they fining themselves? Maybe I misunderstood?

As Link Outdated / Removed in this thread, it was Joe Norton, not the KGC, that claimed to own Absolute.

 

[jetset]

ABSOLUTE POKER ACCEPTS KGC FINDINGS

Damage control on steroids as online poker site tries to regain credibility

Absolute Poker was perhaps predictably in full damage control mode in responding over the weekend to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission findings on its cheating scandal (see previous InfoPowa reports) In a statement released to carefully selected media, the troubled site acknowledged "...the completeness and accuracy of the KGC conclusions."

Judging by initial reactions on player message boards there are many that will argue that statement. Numerous posts have been made criticising the KGC for the lack of detail in its published findings regarding those responsible, how the scam worked and what action has been taken against the fraudsters.

The main penalty imposed by the Commission requires Absolute Poker to pay a fine of US$ 500 000 within 60 days, and the firm has to foot the bill for the investigation by Gaming Associates triggered by the Commission. It will also be required to place a deposit, the value of which is not disclosed, with the Commission for 2 years against future conduct, and will be randomly audited at its expense. Other more precautionary restraints include a requirement to implement a "continuance compliance program" which is not detailed, remove permanently from office those responsible for the debacle, and activate a remedial program.

The Absolute Poker statement accepting the KGC findings and penalties says: "After reviewing the published report, we recognize the completeness and accuracy of the KGC conclusions, and we accept without reservation the KGC’s findings and sanctions. Most importantly, we are pleased, after these many months, that Absolute Poker can finally put behind it a most distressing and regrettable experience for the Company, its employees, and its customers."

The company goes on to use the opportunity to reiterate that it has paid off those players prejudiced by the cheating, repaired the vulnerability in its systems which it claims made the scam possible and has appointed a team "to improve controls and install safeguards."

The statement lays emphasis on the findings that "there is no evidence to indicate that the impugned activities were initiated or sanctioned by AP…or were intended to benefit AP, as a corporate entity" and the "inadvertent deletion of certain gaming logs and records during the course of the investigation."

Absolute Poker also uses the statement as a platform to announce that it is to introduce a series of "poker security summits" starting January 18 to which "respected and independent members of the poker community" will be invited in order to "focus on innovative and cutting-edge ways to further improve AP’s security and enhance its transparency."

Concluding with a general apology, Absolute Poker's statement says it regrets the damage done to its players and to its reputation by the incident.

"We acknowledge that the Company did not act with sufficient speed to uncover the fraud; however, once we were convinced of the veracity of the allegations, we moved quickly to inform the KGC and to reimburse affected players. While AP is paying a severe penalty for the fraud perpetrated upon the Company and its customers, we are gratified that we can now close the book on this sordid affair.”

The KGC findings released Friday included the following:

* From August 14 2007 over a period of 6 weeks certain player accounts were used to cheat other players in live games at Absolute Poker using software that enabled the cheaters to view the hole cards of their opponents, resulting in unfair play.

* The accounts responsible for the cheating are named as Graycat, Payup, Steamroller, Potripper, XXCashmoneyXX aka SupercardM55, Doubledrag and RonfalcoXXB aka Romnaldo. AP has been directed to remove the individuals behind these account names from playing any role in future AP affairs.

* Persons "associated with Absolute Poker's operations" deleted certain key gaming logs after the cheating, a move which hampered but did not preclude a finding being reached. Other than this, AP cooperated during the investigation.

* Gaming Associates found no evidence that AP as a corporate entity was involved in the cheating either at director or "principal ownership" level.

* However, the unidentified principals behind Absolute Poker failed to contact the KGC within 24 hours of discovering the incident as required by licensing regulations.

* Gaming Associates found that AP made "expeditious efforts" to appropriately reimburse those players prejudiced, with interest. KGC urges any aggrieved player not yet paid to contact the Commission, which will ensure the complaint is addressed by AP. There is a 60 day window for this, commencing 11 January 2008.

* The finding certifies that Absolute Poker has taken appropriate but unspecified action to address the vulnerability in its systems.

 

[jetset]

Here's a random thought....does anyone think that the Kahnawakes might use their US$500 000 windfall from this affair to revamp and energise a more player-sensitive complaints system????

 

[Keyser]

This would get an F in grade school

I have read the GA report, which took me all of 2 minutes.

This is what I learned:
AP had employees who deleted records which hindered their "investigation".

What I didn't learn:
What exactly the breach was
When did it start
How did it happen
How long did it go on for
How widespread was it
How much money was stolen
Who was reponsible and who was involved (And no, listing of a few account names don't count)
Who in AP knew what was going on
Who in AP should have known about it but didnt
A detailed account of when AP learned of what was going on and how they reacted to it
What was done to the people that were involved, and what future actions might be taken
What actions will be taken to prevent such an occurrence from repeating itself

Honestly, what was the point? At least pretend that you care!

If you want to see what a similar investigation should look like, see the Thornburgh report on the Dan Rather CBS fake memos scandal (Yes, I read the whole thing, despite the fact that it was slightly longer than the GA report

 

[KellyBlend]

Imho it is also important to understand that an auditor ordinarily does only a lot of normative-actual value comparisons, fixes certain random checks and checks the results of remarkable phenomena in more detail. He goes forward in essential things differently than a detective who assumes criminal energy by a much higher extent. And this is also the reason why in most audit reports you find a caveat like for example, "beyond this, it was not our task to find further dulose actions". To be honest, this case should release under criminal aspects further inquiries by Canadian detectives. I do not wish this Absolute Poker, but this company would have earned such an examination. And perhaps such an investigation would be in best interest of Joe Norton or Absolute Poker as a corporate identity to clean the mess. We all know that we have already a similar case on ub.

 

[GaryWatson]

1. That only suitable persons and entities are permitted to operate within Kahnawake;
2. That the games offered are fair to the player; and
3. That winners are paid.
4. That cheats are protected.
5. That the general public are idiots.

 

[NASHVEGAS]

1. That only suitable persons and entities are permitted to operate within Kahnawake;
2. That the games offered are fair to the player; and
3. That winners are paid.
4. That cheats are protected.
5. That the general public are idiots.

Standard operating procedure seems to me (do not single Kahnawake out but they will prolly win the MVP for 2007)......Btw, you left out #6 but your point is spot on regardless!

 

[mussy]

New Doubts About UB

I'm not sure whether this should have a thread all of its own, but doubts are resurfacing over UB [owned, of course, by the people who own AP]. Some may recall that I posted a PocketFives piece by gank some weeks back, but had to backtrack because it became unclear how reliable it was.

Now there is a

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, and one

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. They revolve mainly around somebody called NioNio, who took a lot of money from highstakes players at UB, only to disappear apparently within days of the Absolute scandal breaking in full. He didn't just stop playing, the account was closed. It might be the employee's son mentioned in the gank piece, although it might be something else entirely. Other possibly suspicious accounts are being named, too.

None of the HH have so far looked terribly suspicious, but the win rate is extraordinary, apparently, and the sudden disappearance clearly looks odd, especially the timing of it.

Phil Hellmuth (who is associated with UB) has been quoted from chat sessions as saying that there is nothing to it, that NioNio is actually a well-known player. A lot of reputable posters view NioNio as suspicious, though.


EDIT: I should have said that some parts of gank's piece have been disputed, and I still don't know how reliable it is.

 

[SeattleSinner]

What really got to me was the line in the report on the first page second paragraph. "As a result of received complaints, the Commission initiated an investigation into AP's operations." This is totally untrue. Kahnawake was called in my AP themselves when they finally admitted the cheating. This is also laughable considering any complaint I have ever made to Kahnawake would be and has been ignored.

Unfortunately I think this just demonstrates the further need for a reputable body like the U.S. government to step into the online gaming world to regulate. If this does not happen innocent unsuspecting consumers will continue to be cheated in a known or unknown fashion.

 

[GaryWatson]

Unfortunately I think this just demonstrates the further need for a reputable body like the U.S. government to step into the online gaming world to regulate. If this does not happen innocent unsuspecting consumers will continue to be cheated in a known or unknown fashion.

I wouldnt want the US government in to regulate anything. They have little respect for international laws & this is an international issue. i think that would be a step in the wrong direction.

 

[KellyBlend]

Why not? The U.S. have already other international treaties with some Mohawks. The Mohawks have a certain right to do business like other countries, but they have to accept also international law, common business practices and ethics; and they have to improve their online gambling regulations (not only on paper - but in practise). I think they would be very interested to agree upon a gambling treaty with the U.S., even if they have to comply with severe additional requirements. We in Europe wait on something like that.

However, I see the problem more with the U.S. than with the Mohawks. The U.S. have more or less the same problem than we in Germany because the legalization of gambling falls under the heading of states rights as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and not under U.S. federal law. And the states want to collect taxes and to protect their own gambling business. Each state has other regulations or considerations. Therefore, Barney Franks Proposal was imho a joke which helped him to get some House votes. This is my evaluation of the U.S. scenery - from the far distance.

Online Poker is now banned in Germany. All German States signed a new common law. However, more or less the majority of German players still plays online poker. We wait and see what will happen in the near future.

According to my view the best way would be the UK approach. And I cannot understand why U.S. players are not allowed to play on a poker site with a proper EU-license. I think this will be a major discussion in the near future, too.

 

[GaryWatson]

I think any green light for the US would spell bad news for anyone outside the US. I think to allow a country like the US to have full regulatory powers would be a bad move

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I consider the UIGEA more of a ploy to steal control. I consider the UK as a more stable option & thats not because I am based in the UK. Ideally it should be an iinternational thing. Laws vary from country to country.

Our biggest issues.....

Dishonest sites.
Sites held accountable to no-one but themselves.
False & misleading terms.
Full public disclosure of ownership

I think sites should be run like banks & held accountable as such. Each participating country should have a rep to ensure their own laws are covered & a voting system in place for universal issues. Kahnawake to be scrapped for being a shell of a company. Bring in true regulators or keep it as it is, the ones in place are nothing more that a licence to print money. they are actually worse than that because they lead players into a false sense of security.

 

[same_old]

Thanks very much for your reporting on this Jetset, you have been great.

 

[KellyBlend]

It is time to let some other people speak, too. Here is a discussion on Pokerrati, were Chuck Barnett, member of the Board of Supervisors of MIT says something - not very much, but nevertheless he tried it.

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[KellyBlend]

Absorbing phrasing on Pokerrati:

Yesterday, Chuck Barnett, member of the Board of Supervisors of Mohawk Internet Technologies, told me that the delay was due to the size of the audit report and the time it took to properly analyze it. Speaking of the members of the Commission, he said, I will say that this has been at the forefront of their attention for the past month. I know that theyve taken time away from their families during the holiday season to commit themselves to this task This is a very serious situation which is being afforded the same sense of seriousness that it deserves.

The only questions that remain have to do with Absolute Poker and Mark Seif. Will they make any statements with regard to the decision?

 

[lots0]

The only questions that remain have to do with Absolute Poker and Mark Seif.

Now that is funny.

Who cares about that has been Seif?

There are a lot of important unanswered questions in this Absolute Poker cheating scandal.

 

[jetset]

I've read through that Pokerati link and frankly I don't see anything fresh and new other than the Mohawk Technologies guy pushing the KGC line we have all followed here.

Nobody answers the valid questions surrounding people allegedly involved like AJ Green and Scott Tom, or how the scam was carried through, and the legitimate questions that have been asked here at Casinomeister and elsewhere remain unanswered.

It just leaves one feeling frustrated that the full story is clearly not going to be divulged by either AP, KGC, GA or....eventually if these current allegations amount to anything, UB.

 

[GaryWatson]

What I would like to have seen is logs of each and every grandfathered account over that period & all of the accounts considered involved.

Full details passed over to a real authority with legal powers. Im sure there is more than enough to make a case.

I would like to know where the serurity team were playing at the time, if it was their day off or they were just browsing porn.

I would like a follow up on why it took a delay on blocking the accounts after it became public knowledge.

I would like a reason why AP initially denied any wrongdoing only to reverse the decision when they were left with little choice.

I would like to know why a multi million dollar fraud has been met with a mere $500k fine and no further action taken.

I would like to know why AP/UB are still live and allowed to process financial transactions.

I would like to know why credit card companies have not withdrawn their support to the site.

I have a few other questions but that's a start.

 

[lots0]

This is part of a post I just did in another thread.

AP must have hired some political advisor's, because they are using political tricks and gimmicks for damage control.

* KGC Releases the report on a Friday evening. - All politicos know you release bad news on a Friday evening, No one watches Friday evening news and by Monday morning some other bit of news is all the rage at the water cooler.

* Admit what everyone knows anyway. - Politicos know that you can't deny something after it has already been admitted, so you admit it again and then say in a very ambiguous way that all the other problems have been 'addressed'.

* Don't admit or acknowledge anything other than what has already been previously released to the public.

* Spread around a lot of money to the 'friendly' press (in this case outfits like gambling911 and CAP)

* Get your spokespeople and shills to start the misinformation campaign. - This should start in earnest today. (in fact it looks to have already started...)


All in all a Absolute Poker is doing a very political job of handling an issue they don't want the public to know about or get upset over.

The fact Absolute Poker is handling things this way is just more evidence that Absolute Poker are as dirty as I thought they were... and it don't get any dirtier than that.

 

[GaryWatson]

Here's a funny statement

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[GaryWatson]

Question to Pokeraddict.

Now as you were at AP during their early days, do you not think it is conceivable that the cheating has been going on from day one? Im sure an experienced player would have been less obvious. Now it could either have been a sign of them getting smug & feeling untouchable about the scamming, total greed or it could be that they passed the account over to a play money level player. KGC, has shown that AP can do what they want. They look as corrupt as AP in this matter.

Maybe AP didnt see the point in investing the time in taking $1000 dollars an hour. Maybe they started using more accounts and started getting sloppy. Its fine to iscolate the high stakes, but theres no reason why this hasnt been tested right through the chain.

 

[KellyBlend]

.... do you not think it is conceivable that the cheating has been going on from day one?

I think we could draw further conclusions like in a buzzle if we exactly knew with which trick or software the cheaters have worked. If they used old client software then I think we could recombine some facts. This is a task for inspector Columbo and no task for an auditor.

 

[pokeraddict]

I have two of the accounts exposed in my PT from the early days. One was a huge winner in 10/20 and 15/30, the other was a small loser. What always struck me as odd in those early days was I could beat 5/10 for 2-3 bb/100 in some tough games. The 10/20 games appeared to have much more action but I would get raped in them. We're talking 15-20bb/100 losing sesions one after another after another. My prop managers thought I was crazy. Many other props had the same experiences on a bigger extreme. The trouble is that we don't have the massive smoking guns like an email of the master hh's etc. As a matter of fact as we found out AP destroyed the hh's from all games more then 2 months out. This always made me wonder.

I guess the answer is many of the old props have varying degrees of suspicions but none of us can really prove it.

 

[KellyBlend]

All these speculations stay sticky. A reliable company would publish more ore less all important facts and in case of cheating like in this case, such a company would also contact the district attorney. Guess why they do nothing or not more?

 

[jetset]

60 Minutes program on Absolute Poker debacle?

ANOTHER 60 MINUTES SHOW ON INTERNET GAMBLING IN PROSPECT

Popular investigative television program asking questions regarding the Absolute Poker scandal

Top online poker bloggers, posters and writers are predicting that the popular US television investigative program "60 Minutes" could be about to launch an expose on the Absolute Poker cheating scandal (see previous InfoPowa reports). The program, which has a viewership in the millions, has previously covered online gambling in 2001, 2005 and 2006...and not always in the most positive terms.

Top blogger and 2+2 contributor Nat Arem, who made a major contribution in investigating and exposing the Absolute Poker.com affair which resulted in the company paying a $500 000 fine to the Kahnawake Ga,ming Commission that regulates the company, wrote on his blog Nat Arem.com that he has known about the new story for some weeks but had respected the confidentiality requested by the 60 Minutes producer. However, as several other poker information websites had picked up on approaches to industry personalities made by the producers, he would reveal what he knew.

"A few weeks ago, I was contacted by 60 Minutes in conjunction with a reporter from the Washington Post regarding a story about the Absolute Poker scandal from last fall," Arem wrote. "I was told that they wanted Adanthar (another 2+2 investigator) and myself for on-camera interviews with Steve Kroft. I later found out they were also interested in interviewing Michael Josem and Marco Johnson.

"Basically, I spent a little while on the phone with the producer and the Washington Post reporter and recapped the whole story as well as I could from memory. I talked about my involvement and contribution, along with all the other people who were involved.

"After that conversation, I found out that 60 Minutes plans on going to a number of different locations. Ive heard that Canada, Costa Rica and Las Vegas are all possible travel locations. I may or may not be meeting up with 60 Minutes in Costa Rica, if and when they come down. Theres also the possibility that I will end up on-camera in Atlanta.

"In terms of agenda, Ive been told that the goal is to tell the story from soup to nuts. I dont really know if that means a negative agenda for online poker, but I get the feeling that it might.

"That means that this story is unlikely to be a good thing for online poker on the whole. I wish that programs like 60 Minutes would always tell the whole story (ie, get PokerStars involved, explain why some sites are secure and clean, etc), but I cant really be sure that will happen.

"If I do end up on-camera, I will be sure to explain that this scandal was online pokers Enron ie, the biggest and worst scandal in the history of the industry. It is not a commonplace occurrence and people should not take it as such.

In terms of the certainty that this will get on the air Im not sure. Ive been told that its definitely happening. But, considering that it has not been shot yet, anything is possible. And if it does end up on the air, I have no idea when that will be or what the 60 Minutes airing schedule looks like."

Several other poker writers have been approached by 60 Minutes, Tom Somach reported, observing that with another online poker cheating scandal breaking this time the allegations against Absolute sister poker website Ultimate Bet its a sure bet the 60 Minutes piece wont just address the Absolute Poker situation. Infopowa has covered the Ultimate Bet story, which appears to have gone very quiet in recent weeks.

The story about the Absolute Poker debacle, initially denied and then confirmed as an "insider issue" involving a "consultant" alleged by other sources to be one Alan John Grimaud, a Canadian citizen who disappeared from public view in the wake of the issue, is likely to make fascinating television.

It has all the elements for a penetrating expose; big money, high technology, Internet gambling, mysterious figures in the background, unresolved questions and some expert detective work by the poker-playing community.