Chris Ferguson Issues Apology After 7 Years Silence

Chris Jesus Ferguson has finally apologised, after a fashion, for his role in the Full Tilt Poker debacle which rocked the poker community following Black Friday back in 2011, releasing a video prior to this year’s WSOP which has already been roundly condemned by many, including Daniel Negreanu, with Phil Hellmuth one of the few rising to his defence.

Ferguson’s 42-second statement begins by addressing the “poker community“, stating: “I deeply regret not being able to prevent Black Friday from happening. After Black Friday I worked relentlessly to ensure all players got paid back, and I sincerely apologize it took as long as it did.”

The Full Tilt Poker debacle is considered by almost everyone in the poker world as being one of its darkest hours, $440million of player funds disappearing into a black hole, with Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer and Ray Bitar the main players in the scandal.

Lederer released an apology prior to the 2016 WSOP, via Negreanu’s blog, but until now Ferguson has remained silent on the affair – something he addresses in today’s video.

“I also realise that it has taken me a long time to make any sort of public statement, and I appreciate my fans and the poker community as a whole for their patience and support. One day, the Full Tilt Poker story will be told, and like many of you I look forward to that day.”

Joe Ingram picked up on the similar ‘defence’ that Hellmuth expressed in his tweet above:

Seven years on is too late for most, and the apparently scripted statement from Ferguson is unlikely to change the general perception that he was at least partly responsible for the demise of one of the biggest and best online poker sites of all time, award-winning poker journalist Lance Bradley weighing in…

…and Justin ‘Stealthmunk’ Schwartz adding his two-cents worth…

Ferguson ended his brief and stilted statement with “I hope to see you all at the World Series of Poker this summer. Thank you and good luck.”

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Chris Ferguson’s statement in full

“Hi, it’s Chris Ferguson. I’d like to take this brief opportunity to address the poker community, which I love and have been part of for a long time.

“I deeply regret not being able to prevent Black Friday from happening. After Black Friday I worked relentlessly to ensure all players got paid back, and I sincerely apologize that it took as long as it did.”

“I also realise that it has taken me a long time to make any sort of public statement, and I appreciate my fans and the poker community as a whole for their patience and support. One day, the Full Tilt Poker story will be told, and like many of you I look forward to that day.”

“I hope to see you all at the World Series of Poker this summer. Thank you and good luck.”