Epic Poker League To Be Sued

Poker News / Matthew Pitt / 16 September 2011 / Leave a Comment

The Epic Poker League may have only run two Main Events since its created but both of them have been shrouded in controversy, which must be a first for any poker tour. The first event was won by David "Chino" Rheem who hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons when he won the inaugural Main Event, mainly due to the fact he allegedly owes various member of the poker community large sums of money.

Now a player from the second edition of the Epic Poker League is planning on suing the Epic Poker League after he claims he was forced to withdraw from the competition without being given the appropriate financial compensation. Michael DiVita won his seat to the $20,000 Main Event via the $1,500 buy-in Pro/Am tournament that awards nine seats. After winning his seat it came to light that DiVita is a registered sex offender after being convicted on a number of charges back in 1991.

Once this became public knowledge the Epic Poker League (EPL) Standards and Ethics committee chairman Stephen Martin met up with DiVita and suggested that he withdrew from the Main Event to save the EPL negative publicity and to stop DiVita's past being dragged up again. DiVita, speaking to QuadJacks Radio, said that is came as no surprise to him and he offered to voluntarily withdraw from the competition, as long as he was given back the $20,000 entry fee to the Main Event. The EPL refused his request and demanded he took just $1,500 (his Pro/Am buy-in). DiVita refused this and said he would no longer be withdrawing from the Main Event, at which point he alleges Martin threatened him by telling him the situation would "get very public," and that it would "probably be very embarrassing" for him. At this point he took the $1,500 and was escorted from the Palms Casino Resort.

Now DiVita plans to sue the EPL for the $18,500 shortfall in his refund telling QuadJacks Radio, "As an ethical man, I will not ask for anything that I do not feel that I am due. What I was due was $20,000. What I was given was $1,500. I'd like the balance sent to me within ten day. If my money is not received by that date, I will file a lawsuit against Federated Sports & Gaming, the Epic Poker League, and all of its partners and principles, for not only my $18,500, but also additional damages for many other causes of action, including civil rights violations, against me."

The EPL could really do without this negative publicity surrounding this situation after Rheem winning the first event was badly received on poker forums around the world, the attendance of the second event dropped to 97 entrants from 137 in the inaugural event and the very fact that Annie Duke is heavily involved. For those wh are not aware Duke is the sister of Howard Lederer who is partly responsible for the Full Tilt Poker scandal and she was an ambassador for Ultimate Bet when their cheating scandal came to light. Maybe Daniel Negreanu was right when he said the Epic Poker League would not be around for long because at this rate it will be lucky to get through the first season.

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