Four of a Kind: Courtney, Himes, Larson, and Murphy Endorsed by Dodgy Online Poker Alliance. Full Tilt Accused of “Global Ponzi Scheme” by DOJ. Government Alleges Hundreds of Millions in Fraud.

They may look like four jokers.  Connecticut United States Representatives Joseph Courtney, James Himes, John Larson, and Christopher Murphy may soon regret their chummy relations with besieged online poker operation Full Tilt Poker.  The Justice Department charges Full Tilt Poker cheated players out of hundreds of millions of dollars in a massive Ponzi scheme.  Full Tilt Poker is part of the industry organization Poker Players Alliance.  The four Connecticut Democrats were endorsed by PPA last year. In the 2010 cycle, Courtney received $1,029 from PPA, Himes $2,056, Larson $3,021, and Murphy $1,500.  Larson accepted $2,500 in the current campaign fundraising cycle.

The suit alleges Full Tilt Poker owed players nearly $400 million but has assets just shy of $60 million. Former Connecticut U.S. Representative Toby Moffett has been the preeminent mouthpiece for the online poker front.  Get a load of this plea from Moffett to President Barack Obama to please let the dodgy industry pay more taxes. It’s loaded with all the buzz words and urges the president to concentrate on terrorists not poker.

Four months ago, Moffett wrote, “By diverting law enforcement resources in the Southern District of New York away from chasing terrorists and financial thieves and devoting them to breaking up poker games, this administration stunned both poker players and many hardcore Obama supporters alike.” Telling the stirring tale of online poker players lobbying Congress, Moffett continued, “As I personally witness the poker crowd’s wrath in Capitol hallways this week, I think about the other millions of angry players out there.” They are probably a lot angrier today than they were in May.

Moffett works the online poker gambit with former United States Senator Alphonse D’Amato.  Moffett has also lobbied for deposed Egyptian dictator Hosno Mubarek.