Poker tour charged with not paying final table

The PPC Poker Tour has been served with a legal suit after neglecting to pay out over $370,000 from November’s main event in Aruba.

Four of the top six finishers from last year’s PPC Poker Tour Main Event in Aruba are still awaiting their payouts leading to the foursome filing a law suit against the Tour’s owners Bryan Oulton and Thomas “Sandy” Swartzbaugh.

The event winner, Stephen Deutsch, who is owed around $133,687, is among those leading the legal challenge which has so far seen Oulton and Swartzbaugh charged with racketeering and fraud and their tour labelled a Ponzi scheme.

On Tuesday, Maryland state court granted a request for a restraining order against the pair, leaving them unable to “engage in any business whatsoever", after the letter outlined that there were minimum missing sums worth $173,000 still owed to Deutsch, Michael Lerner and Joan Sandoval.  A fourth player, John Ott, who came in fifth is also awaiting payment of $32,085.

"Accomplished hucksters"

A Maryland Casino and the Beachside Consulting Group were among those also charged in the suit that claims that "accomplished hucksters” Oulton and Swartzbaugh diverted prize funds elsewhere in order to bankroll the tour and fund financial necessities. The suit also claims money may have been paid into as many as ten third party accounts until there was nothing left.

On Christmas Eve last year, Swartzbaugh gave one final plea for tolerance, apologising for the delays which went unheard leaving the players to seek and receive legal retribution.