PokerStars Sues Erick Lindgren For $2.5 MillionCompany Says He Won't Respond To Collection Attempts |
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The parent company of PokerStars is suing gambler Erick Lindgren in federal court in Nevada for $2.5 million, according to court documents filed on Jan. 30.
The debt dates back to Lindgren’s days as a Full Tilt Poker sponsored player when the company was run by the likes of Howard Lederer and Ray Bitar. PokerStars acquired Full Tilt Poker and its assets as part of a 2012 settlement with the United States government.
Most of the $2.5 million comes from Full Tilt erroneously wiring an extra $2 million into Lindgren’s bank account, on top of the $2 million he was taking as compensation for work with the company. The rest of the debt comes in the form of a loan to Lindgren.
From the lawsuit:
On or about April 18, 2011, Full Tilt erroneously deposited a $2 million distribution into Lindgren’s bank account. This was a duplicate payment…because Full Tilt had already deposited $2 million into Lindgren’s bank account approximately one week earlier. Various offìcers of Full Tilt corresponded to Lindgren requesting that Lindgren return the full amount of the erroneous deposit, which Lindgren failed to do. Lindgren requested and received from Full Tilt loan advances in the aggregate principal amount of $531,807, all of which (and all interest thereon) remain outstanding. Full Tilt also requested the repayment of the principal of, and payment of the interest on, the loan advances, but Lindgren has persisted to wrongfully retain the total such loan advances and the erroneous deposit, which is a total amount of $2,531,807.
Though Lindgren filed for bankruptcy in 2012 due to total personal debt of nearly $4.8 million and an additional $3.8 million owed to the IRS, a bankruptcy court did not discharge the debt owed to PokerStars, the complaint said. Lindgren’s bankruptcy process is finished and thus PokerStars is resuming efforts at collection.
Lindgren has admitted to having a gambling problem and has sought treatment. Over the past two years he has had success on the tournament circuit, scoring for $1.3 million in 2013 and $153,000 in 2014. He captured his second career WSOP bracelet in 2013.
PokerStars asked Lindgren to repay. He didn’t, and so the company filed a lawsuit. The Isle of Man-based online poker site is also seeking money for damages and attorney’s fees.
“To date, PokerStars and its counsel have not received any response to the request
for payment, which caused PokerStars to file this complaint in an effort to preserve its legal rights,” the court document said.
Card Player contacted a spokesperson at PokerStars to ask about other debts owed to the company and whether they were repaid. PokerStars declined to comment.
Here’s a look at the six-page document.
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