Is there going to be any sort of new "update" anytime soon. Ive been searching on pocket5s and theres no threads up top about US players $...im sure FTP is loving it as the talk has seemed to die down lately about us getting paid.

I don't think they're doing much in the way of updates until the situation is resolved. Players were firing back at FTPDoug pretty hard with all of the worthless updates, it obviously wasn't any benefit to FTP to post them. I've accepted the fact that nobody is getting paid. They have absolutely zero reason to pay us. They can't do business with us, so our satisfaction is meaningless. I initially felt they would pay simply to keep their worldwide reputation strong, but despite their horrendous customer service & shady image, the stupid fucking Europeans keep playing there. I guarantee you that if the entire world dropped them the way they dropped Americans, they would have magically found a way. At this point though, they've already realized that stiffing us on payment isn't going to bear one single fucking consequence.

 

Originally Posted by wickedfamous

I don't think they're doing much in the way of updates until the situation is resolved. Players were firing back at FTPDoug pretty hard with all of the worthless updates, it obviously wasn't any benefit to FTP to post them. I've accepted the fact that nobody is getting paid. They have absolutely zero reason to pay us. They can't do business with us, so our satisfaction is meaningless. I initially felt they would pay simply to keep their worldwide reputation strong, but despite their horrendous customer service & shady image, the stupid fucking Europeans keep playing there. I guarantee you that if the entire world dropped them the way they dropped Americans, they would have magically found a way. At this point though, they've already realized that stiffing us on payment isn't going to bear one single fucking consequence.

Actually the traffic has declined a bit, and am guessing mostly to do with US players not being paid. There is some consequences. Most Europeans or people outside the US that were playing, weren't stupid, they just saw there was easy money to be made on the site and that people were getting paid. Now that this has dragged on longer, people are starting to question whether their money is safe and withdrawing and playing there less. If the games I liked to play ever picked up more, I personally would have no problems playing there, but would just keep money on that I can risk being locked up or never paid to me. At this point, I can't trust them as much as stars and party (gasp).

 

Originally Posted by tyson219

Nothing new from FTP in over a month.

Unfortunately, its better for FTP not to give an update as people get more upset when FTP updates with little to say as compared to saying nothing at all as evidenced in the last FTP update thread.

Thanks guys

 

Originally Posted by northkato

i feel like updates, even if there is minimal progress, are necessary. the lack of updates makes me feel like we are being ignored, and i think there needs to be more transparency with what is going on. i bug absolute at least 2 times a week to send me an email with updates. i dont expect this to make my money show up faster, but keeping lines of communication open with these accounts with my money helps me feel less "forgotten", which in my opinion would be step 1 of not paying us.

I agree with you, even if its to let people vent. But after the last update, I think FTP must have realized that the bashing they got was way more when they had a thread then compared to when they were keeping quiet. Hopefully they will have an update soon, and hopefully it will be with some sort of timeline of when payments can be expected to be sent out to ex-US customers.

 

Originally Posted by lunarphase

In the last update it mentioned that limbo funds would be returned and medals would be converted into points. It's been over 3 weeks and they have done nothing.

thats what really worries me now... theyve missed the one deadline theyve set and it's for something pretty simple.

The saddest thing is that there have been no criminal charges relating to the theft of US players' funds. This is where people have been truly harmed, not with the bank crime shit.

We haven't been paid because they blew most of our money before 04/15 on marketing campaigns, and to think they won't use the rest on legal defense & their own families' nest eggs... well you're just plain stupid if you think that isn't the plan.

If we are ever paid, it will be after the criminal trials are successful and by way of the US government. If there aren't enough funds to cover everyone, they'd have to work out a fair distribution.

With all of this in mind... the DOJ needs to apprehend the FTP ownership. They should be then charged with as many crimes as possible, and subsequently denied bail. If they can accomplish this much, then Ray Bitar is going to sing louder than any bird since Sam Gravano.

The beauty of this situation? The RICO Act, of course.

They're all charged & convicted as a group, and all of their personal assets are subject to seizure. This would ensure that players could be paid in full, and would also ensure that players fulfill their tax obligations.

They sent Bernie Madoff to jail for life because he ripped off the wealthy. Apparently ripping off a bunch of middle class folks isn't a serious crime in the eyes of Preet Bharara. Talk about not doing your job.

/rant

 

Originally Posted by wackyJaxon

and they have had a portion of the confiscated funds returned to them.

I remember reading that they had some funds released, but quickly after I also read a statement from the DOJ that the claim was incorrect and no funds have been released. You're right on both points regarding freerolling, however. While this isn't quite the same as a 'ponzi scheme' I do believe it's in the same ballpark. My opinion is that Lederer, Ferguson and the other owners should never see the light of day. Even put the non-payment issue aside, there's no reason the owners should be free while the guy they hired to oversee the day-to-day (Bitar) takes the fall.