It’s been five months since officials from Absolute Poker issued public comment regarding U.S. player funds. In the interim, according to PokerScout, the CEREUS Network, which includes Absolute Poker and UB, has shed 99% of its cash game traffic. An Absolute Poker spokesperson told PocketFives recently that the site is still working to forge an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to return player funds. Whether an agreement will be reached anytime soon, however, remains to be seen.

The Absolute Poker spokesperson told PocketFives in an exclusive statement, “As previously stated, the distribution of funds to our U.S. players remains our highest priority. However, we are still in discussions with the DOJ in order to facilitate player payments and, consequently, can make no further comments at this time. We will provide an update at the appropriate time.”

Poker Players Alliance Executive Director John Pappas (pictured) told PocketFives on Wednesday, “We reached out to AP/UB via e-mail several months ago expressing our concerns about the non-payment of players. They responded that it’s a top priority for them.” No further discussions have taken place.

In May, Absolute Poker officials distributed a press release noting that the company was “restructuring” and would “focus its remaining resources on consolidating its non-U.S., rest-of-the-world operation and software business. Unfortunately, this also means an immediate need to downsize and streamline operations significantly at both online poker rooms, with a view of becoming more efficient in the way the business is conducted.” Read more.

At the time, the Absolute Poker press release explained that the site was working with the DOJ to allow players to be paid back: “The company’s legal counsel is in continuing discussions with the U.S. Attorney’s office to formalize an agreement that would facilitate the return of funds to U.S. players. Further information and timely updates will be provided to players moving forward as our legal team works to resolve the outstanding issues.”

After the DOJ seized the domain names belonging to Absolute Poker and UB in April as part of Black Friday, the CEREUS Network officially cut off U.S. play. According to PokerScout, CEREUS, once one of the 10 largest networks by cash game volume, has slid to 40th worldwide, with a seven-day running average of just 23 real money ring game players and a 24-hour peak of 41.

An article that appeared on Poker Addict on Thursday instructed players what to do if Absolute Poker or UB owes them money. Its first recommendation was to seek assistance from Absolute Poker’s licensing agency, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, or KGC. You’ll recall that in early August, the KGC renewed Full Tilt Poker’s secondary license despite its primary license being suspended.

According to the Terms and Conditions posted on Absolute’s website, all disputes appear to defer to the KGC as judge, jury, and executioner: “You shall not object to any action or settlement being brought in the jurisdiction of the primary gaming regulator, nor claim that the action or settlement has been brought in an inconvenient forum, or that the authorities do not have jurisdiction. For as long as the KGC is the then current primary gaming regulator, any judgments rendered by the authorities of the Mohawk Territories of Kahnawake shall be binding, final, and conclusive in all matters.”

Poker Addict’s article also recommended filing suit against Absolute Poker and UB. There are a handful of class-action lawsuits against Full Tilt Poker, which has also failed to return player funds following Black Friday and which the DOJ labeled a “global Ponzi scheme.” So far, the DOJ has not claimed that Absolute Poker was a Ponzi scheme. Read about the latest class-action suit.

Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth (pictured), the longtime faces of UB, left the site in December. Following Black Friday, Absolute Poker and UB dismissed their teams of sponsored pros, which included the likes of Bryan badbeatninjaDevonshire, Adam RoothlusLevy, and Eric basebaldy Baldwin. In an interview in mid-May, the latter told PocketFives, “I’ll feel horrible about having represented a site that cost people their hard earned money if funds are not fully returned.”

We’ll keep you posted on the latest right here on PocketFives.