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Yesterday we had a very lengthy and candid meeting at Absolute Poker’s offices in Costa Rica and would like to give everyone an update on what came out of this meeting. This was a meeting where we didn't hold anything back. We presented the facts and allegations as we know them—everything that’s been posted on P5s and 2+2, as well as any information we’ve found out from other people we’ve spoken to about this.
Before we get into the particulars of this meeting, I would like to make it clear what our position is on this situation and what we hope to get out of this. As one of the largest and most trusted poker communities on the Internet, we feel a responsibility to online poker players all over the world to set the record straight. The greatest thing that can come out of this for us is being able to make a difference in finding the truth.
I'm going to try and summarize the main points that were made by AP at this meeting. Everything between the dashed lines is strictly what they conveyed to us, not our opinions or interpretations. We are simply letting everyone know what AP is currently saying about the situation.
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1) They have re-opened their investigation into the initial situation, the issue of whether or not hole cards were visible to Potripper (as well as graycat and doubledrag) or any other account that could have relayed them that information. They are insistent that it is not possible for any account that has this ability and no way for anyone to receive other players' hole cards during a hand. They have brought Gaming Associates, a well-known third party auditor, into the equation.
2) They have also opened a separate investigation into the information that's come forth regarding IP addresses and the identity of those who were viewing these tables and/or playing on the accused accounts. They weren't able to give us much information about that investigation because it is fairly new and not yet conclusive, but they are planning to make a new statement as soon as they can get all the information together. They're hoping this is within the next few days, and they have several people working on this matter.
3) At least part of these investigations will be conducted by representatives of the online poker community, possibly including representatives of PocketFives.com, 2+2, and/or Bluff Magazine.
4) They sounded very confident that information will eventually come out exonerating them of all allegations. They believe they can prove that it's not possible to do what people are alleging, as well as that it was never possible in their system. They believe the third party audit will confirm that as well.
5) They weren't able to talk about account 363 at all. Their stated reason for this was that they haven't finished investigating the account.
6) They want people to know that despite what's currently going on, they are planning for the future with this site; they're not throwing in the towel. They stated several times that they've got a huge amount of liquidity and will have no problem paying out any cashouts, so no one should worry about getting their money.
7) Most importantly, they want everyone to keep an open mind about this. They're trying hard to make this situation right, and they're hoping people will give them another chance to find all the relevant information, come to conclusions based on that information, and bring it out to the public. While they were adamant that there's no way anyone can see others' hole cards prior to showdown, they also said that if somehow it was found out that they're wrong about this and that players were in fact cheated, they will immediately begin figuring out how to pay that money to all those affected by the breach.
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Keep an eye out for more information from AP. I don't know exactly what they'll come out with---I'm really hoping it's meaningful and helps us move along towards a full understanding of exactly what has happened. We're all exhausted, and this hasn't been fun at all for any of us, but until things clear up, we're going to stay heavily involved.
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