There is possibly some satisfaction among the many unpaid players from the now defunct Everleaf Poker Network debacle last year (see previous reports) in the news this week that EPN director Jean Pavili has been arrested by the Malta police.
The Austrian executive is the second Everleaf director to be prosecuted, and has posted bail totalling Euro 20,000 and agreed to assets worth Euro 900,000 on Malta being frozen.
In September this year fellow Everleaf director Michael Zwi Oros was arrested on similar charges and granted bail. He too has pleaded not guilty.
Pavili is contesting charges of misappropriating approximately Euro 800,000 from players, and failure to pay around Euro 100,000 in licenses and fees on the Mediterranean island.
The charges further include allegations that Pavili failed to pay gaming license and tax due; failed to notify the Malta Lotteries and Gaming Authority of the relocation of Everleaf’s control system; failed to deposit winnings; and failed to disclose all ultimate beneficiaries of the enterprise, necessary to ensure that all were fit and proper persons for licensing.
The poker information site Poker News reports that Everleaf continued to accept US player action post-Black Friday, finally exiting that dangerous market just under a year later when one of its e-processors was uncovered and $27,000 seized.
That appeared to trigger a downward and slow-no-pay decline that left players frustrated and angry, launching complaints with the Malta regulator where Everleaf was licensed. The LGA finally if belatedly acted mid-2013, suspending the gaming licence and ordering the network to cease operations.
But many players remain unpaid, hoping that the LGA will be able to recover at least some of their funds as promised by Joseph Cuschieri, the new-broom CEO appointed to the LGA earlier this year.