League suspends poker pros named in FullTilt complaint

Poker professionals Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson were suspended by the Epic Poker League Wednesday, a day after federal prosecutors added them as defendants in a civil complaint involving alleged money laundering by FullTilt Poker.

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. Four individuals are accused of defrauding online players out of some $443 million.

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 play but he has not yet completed the forms required for participation.