Subject: Poker last week published an article, which claimed that Full Tilt Poker mastermind Chris Ferguson would be prepared to try and impede the ongoing takeover deal of the company due to a series of unsettled accounts.

Subject: Poker's article described how Ferguson allegedly had been able to funnel large amounts of dividends through the company into a number of personal accounts.

Among the many transfers was also a $14 million "loan", which Ferguson had allowed the company to use for expenses in the wake of Black Friday.

It is this amount that Ferguson is now fighting to get back, or he would try and impede the deal, the article stated.

However, according to Laurent Tapie, head of the Groupe Bernard Tapie investor group currently working to finalize an acquisition deal with FTP and the U.S. Department of Justice, this isn't true.

Tapie has denied the rumors in an interview with iGaming France, saying that there is no truth in the allegations.

"This story is totally false. Chris Ferguson has no problem with regard to the completion of the takeover agreement, which is now imminent. Even if Chris Ferguson wanted to oppose it (which is not the case), he would not be able to because the agreement has already been validated," Tapie said.

He added that the acquisition agreement continues according to plans, and that he now hopes to be able to complete the takeover by the end of this month.

"Now that the due diligence process is nearly complete, and unless there are last minute surprises, we hope to do the deal by the end of February," Tapie added.

Ferguson also issued a number of statements via his lawyer Ian Imrich.

Imrich told CardPlayer Magazine that his client has been having a "very positive dialogue" with the Department of Justice, and that he "expects to have his case settled early in 2012."

"In short," Imrich said, "Chris' request has nothing to do with Tapie or the agreement reached with Full Tilt and DOJ, which my guy supports."

He also added that "based on what Chris and I are hearing from the parties, the deal should be done within the first half, if not the first quarter, of this year."

Poker.org will continue to monitor the situation and report on any further developments as they happen.