Clonie Gowen suing Full Tilt for $40 million

[The Buzz]

Former Full Tilt Poker endorser and professional poker player Clonie Gowen is suing FTP for $40 million claiming breach of contract.

The lawsuit states the Gowen is owed her fair share of a 1% ownership stake that was apparently promised to her over a phone conversation with Full Tilt executives. However, this not-so-apparent “oral” agreement was never signed into a legal contract, which unfortunately for her might prove troublesome when it comes to actually proving a contract breach (note the keyword: contract).

The supposed oral contract took place in 2004 with several FTP executives, however, despite not having any legal backing put on paper Clonie still went on and promoted the Full Tilt brand on tournament circuit around the world. The promotional ads she did for the company definitely increased fanfare not just among online poker players, but also women poker players. She was 1 of only 2 faces on Team Full Tilt Poker who were women - the other of course being cash game legend Jennifer Harman - and she did an excellent job of making people aware of the online mega site, even though she was doing it for zero compensation.

In 2007, Howard Lederer supposedly offered Clonie Gowen a distribution check of $250,000. For what ever reason or another, Gowen denied the check! Other poker media outlets who have been covering the story still don’t have an explanation behind that, nor has Clonie herself commented on it as well. In either case, she still went on and continued to once against dawn (sic) the FTP gear around every event she played - despited denying a supposed payment from the company and still not being paid a single cent since 2004!

Full story here ... http://news.parttimepoker.com/2008/11/17/2597/

[The Buzz]

Full Tilt has asked that the suit be dismissed.

And apparently fellow poker pros are unimpressed with Gowen's claims.

From FlopTurnRiver.com ...

Daniel Negreanu has been particularly vocal in his disapproval, claiming that “there is just no freaking way they’d offer her 1%.” Most ominously he stated that “I hope she ends up with what she deserves: nothing. She’s ruined herself with this move. I’ll never speak to her again, and I’m sure I’m not alone.”

Full story here ... http://www.flopturnriver.com/blogs/f...-law-suit-1182