Bryan Oulton and Sandy Swartzbaugh, owners and operators of the Players Poker Championship, have been charged with racketeering and fraud as part of a civil lawsuit that alleges they've operated the PPC as a Ponzi scheme. As of Jan. 3, a restraining order has been requested and granted by a Maryland state court, PokerNews has learned, and litigation is now pending.
"PPC has been operating a complex international Ponzi scheme involving poker tournaments at myriad casinos inside — and outside — the United States for at least one year and potentially for as many as four years," the motion for the restraining order says.