Epic Poker League suspends Lederer, Ferguson
A day after poker professionals Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson were added by federal prosecutors to a civil money laundering complaint filed against FullTilt Poker, the pair were suspended by the Epic Poker League.
In a statement, Stephen Martin, chairman of the league’s Standards and Conduct Committee, said the action was taken after Lederer and Ferguson were named as defendants in relation to their role as board members with FullTilt. The two are among four accused of defrauding online players out of some $443 million.
“The Committee voted to suspend Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson indefinitely, pending the outcome of the Department of Justice’s action,” Said Martin, a former federal prosecutor who serves as the independent ethics advisor to the Epic Poker League.
The matter was complicated by Lederer being the brother of poker standout Annie Duke, the commissioner of the upstart Epic Poker League.
Lederer accepted his Epic Poker League player’s card, but did not compete in either of the league’s first two events. Ferguson is eligible to compete but he has not yet completed the forms required for participation.
