Barney Frank in Hot Water over Full Tilt Poker Contributions - 09-27-11

September 27 - Barney Frank, the US Representative who is perhaps the biggest opponent to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), has found himself in hot water over his association with controversial online poker room, Full Tilt Poker.

The Massachusetts Representative has promised to return all funds that he received from Full Tilt Poker executives who made contributions to his political campaigns over the years, if they are found guilty in a lawsuit brought against them by the Department of Justice.

Frank reportedly received $18,600 from the Full Tilt Poker executives, as well as a further $14,000 from the Poker Players Alliance, which also received "Full Tilt Poker contributions."

The online poker room has been accused of running a Ponzi scheme and defrauding its players to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, with executives Howard Lederer, Rafael Furst and Chris "Jesus" Ferguson named in the lawsuit.

Frank said that he was "really very unpleasantly surprised that these guys were defrauding people."

However, he said that the Full Tilt Poker saga hasn't changed his views about online gambling and the need to regulate and legalize this form of entertainment. "If anything, it strengthens them [my views]," he said. "Online gambling should be legal, so government can regulate it."

It is believed that over $440 million is owed to US poker players and others around the world.

Frank Not Alone in Receiving FTP Contributions

However, Barney Frank is not the only US politician to receive contributions from leading online poker rooms such as Full Tilt Poker.

Last week, the Boston Globe reported that Democrat Representative for Nevada, Shelley Berkley, a strong gambling proponent, accepted political contributions from Full Tilt Poker for approximately $20,000.

A spokesperson for Berkley said that she, too, would return the money if the executives were convicted.

"These allegations are extremely troubling and, if true, threaten to unfairly cast a shadow over the entire online poker community thanks to the alleged actions of a few individuals," said Berkley.

Senator Harry Reid was also named as a politician who accepted money from the poker room, as was the President himself, Barack Obama.

A state GOP spokesman, Tim Buckley said: "Frank should refund every nickel of the tens of thousands in campaign donations linked to online gambling. It appears Mr. Frank is another congressman willing to associate with criminals."

Frank said that he would put donations by Full Tilt Poker into a fund for the victims of the online poker room's scheme if one is set up by the Department of Justice.