Would You Like To Leave Absolute Poker?

Not too much has happened over the last 48 hours or so since Absolute Poker admitted late Friday afternoon they indeed experienced an “internal security breach” -- just one week after having confidently stated “the result of our investigation is that we found no evidence that any of Absolute Poker’s redundant and varying levels of game client security were compromised.”

A few items have popped up this afternoon. First over on 2+2, Serge “Adanthar” Ravitch posted a statement by a person named Joe Norton who identifies himself as “the former Grand Chief of the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake and the owner of Tokwiro Enterprises ENRG, which holds a 100% interest in Absolute Poker.” The statement is addressed “Dear AP Player” and begins with Norton acknowledging the breach occurred and expressing misgivings over both its occurrence and how AP has handled the situation to this point.

The statement goes on to say (1) all affected players will be recompensed for their losses “as soon as our audit is finished and the amounts are determined”; (2) those conducting investigations include Absolute Poker, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, and other “authorized authorities” (i.e., those whose charge it would be to ascertain criminal behavior, I presume); and (3) for everyone to “be assured that we have corrected the problem that allowed the system to be unfairly manipulated.”

So still not much in the way of specifics here. About what happened, or why we should “be assured” of much of anything, really.

Meanwhile, over on Pocket Fives Chris “brsavage” Savage reports he has learned a statement from Absolute Poker will be forthcoming “very shortly.” Savage says AP has “definitive proof who the culprit was” and that “this person was the second in charge at AP and has been fired from AP.” Apparently this unnamed culprit was a friend of Scott Tom’s (with Tom being his “sole superior” in the company) and in fact at one time lived at Tom’s Costa Rica house.

This unnamed “culprit” has been in charge of Absolute day-to-day operations for some time, says Savage. In other words, according to Savage, “since the person in command of AP was also the thief he obviously issued numerous steadfast denials of any wrong doing. Basically he was investigating himself.” Hmm . . . could this mean the author of that quote back in my first paragraph was . . . WHAAA?!

Savage says that “For legal reasons the AP release is not going to specifically name this person,” even though “most of us know this person’s name already as it has already been widely reported.”

Ah, yes. Read about this dude a couple of days ago somewhere.

Finally, Dan Michalski over at Pokerati just a few minutes ago posted a 15-minute interview he conducted with Absolute Poker rep Mark Seif. Dan does a great job, asking all the right questions here. (He did not ask Seif if he was still “Chillin.”)

Seif denies any involvement, and balks at insinuations that he in any way “benefitted from or indulged in the malfeasance” that has clearly taken place at Absolute. Essentially, Seif here calls for AP to come clean. Seif also mentions how at the moment “the volume [of players] is as high or higher than it’s ever been historically at Absolute,” something Dan says in his post baffles him. (Same here, man.)

Jawdropping stuff, everywhere you turn.

I’ve yet actually to go through the motions of withdrawing my cabbage from Absolute Poker, although I am certain I will be doing so in the next day or two. Am also considering pulling out what I have over at Ultimate Bet, as well.

Can anyone think of any reason at all why should I leave money on either site?