According to the BaltimoreSun.com, & to TheBayNet.com more Internet gambling sites were seized and their international owners were indicted today, this time by a Maryland federal grand jury.
The domain names and sites were seized today include:
Bookmaker.com
Truepoker.com
Funtimebingo.com
Goldenarchcasino.com
Betmaker.com
Betgrandesports.com
Doylesroom.com
Betehorse.com
Beted.com
2Betsdi.com
(however I checked these and all the domain names still seem to be operating as of time of publication)
Charged today in the indictments are ThrillX Systems Ltd. and owners Darren Wright and David Parchomchuk, both of British Columbia, Canada; and K23 Financial Services (known as BMX Entertainment), run by defendant Ann Marie Puig, of San Jose, Costa Rica.
According to the articles, the indictments and affidavit seek the forfeiture of the bank accounts used to process the gambling transactions, as well as domain names of websites used by the defendants to further the online gambling transactions.
The article quotes U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein who said:
“It is illegal for internet gambling enterprises to do business in Maryland, regardless of where the website operator is located, We cannot allow foreign website operators to flout the law simply because their headquarters are based outside the country.”
The defendants face a maximum of five years in prison.
Money laundering carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.
TheBaynet.com article quotes IRS Special Agent in Charge Rebecca who said:
“Internet gambling, along with other types of illegal e-commerce, is an area of great interest to IRS Criminal Investigation. Laundering money from illegal activity such as illegal internet gambling is a crime. Regardless of how the money changes hands – via cash, check, wire transfers or credit cards – and regardless of where the money is stored – in a United States financial institution or an offshore bank – we will trace the funds. IRS Criminal Investigation will vigorously investigate and recommend prosecution against the owners and operators of these illegal enterprises to the fullest extent possible.”
DoylesRoom.com is particularly interesting since the site is named after legendary poker playerDoyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson.
As the site DoylesRoom.com describes the namesake:
“Brunson, now 76, is the Babe Ruth, the Michael Jordan, and the Arnold Palmer of poker. He virtually invented the phenomenon that is Texas Hold’em. He paved the way for a sport once viewed to be played by only roughnecks and criminals, but is now played by today’s world leaders and top executives.”
“He was the star of the infamous band of traveling poker sharks, the Texas Rounders. He was the first of the high stakes hotel poker players in Las Vegas introducing his “power poker” to the world. He has won an unprecedented and record ten World Series of Poker events.”
“We cannot allow foreign website operators to flout the law simply because their headquarters are based outside the country.”
I hope the UK authorities take this into account with the legal case going on at the moment with Twitter.
Paves the way for the 3DPOkerNetwork.com website when Poker goes legal in the US
Hi,
bingo .com is a publicly traded company that just had their earnings report come out…which did not look particularly well…IMHO.
I am just wondering if they will treat “publicly owned” sites, different than private ones?
On another note:
It still just kills me, that 2 days before they started seizing all this online poker websites etc…
They pass a bill in Washington… Legalizing online poker for ‘just’ Washington DC.
I mean wtf… online poker is OK in Washington DC…but not in any of the 50 states in the USA?
Plain “weird” on many levels…IMHO
Best.
Dan
BTW: I am quite sure, people in all the 50 usa states will find “proxy IP” address’s for the Washington DC area…and might be able to get some ‘online poker action’ ; )
iMega statement on the seizures:
“The seizure today of 10 domain names by the US Department of Justice is a troubling development in the ongoing efforts to settle the question of Internet gambling. At a time when legislators at both the state and federal level are debating whether to permit online versions of poker, casino and sports betting, the DOJ has chosen to ignore debate and to instead set a troubling precedent when it comes to Internet law.”
“Without any criminal convictions or due process, the DOJ has confiscated property by merely ordering VeriSign, which controls the .com and .net top-level domains, to redirect traffic to landing pages that seem more intent on provoking fear than in pursuing any reasonable process of justice.”
Hi,
” the DOJ has chosen to ignore debate and to instead set a troubling precedent when it comes to Internet law”
___
Yea, Online poker is legal now in Washington DC…
E. Holder is probably online right now, deciding whether to “bet” or “check and raise”. He is not going to ‘fold’ as he is not smart enough, to know when to fold.
‘D’
I live in Pennsylvania where it it still legal to play bingo online. I had just won some bucks at funtime and decided to take a break . I tried to log back in and got the this domain has been seized page!!!!! Well its legal here so what about my money? The Government has to much power . How the hell can they tell us How and How not to spend OUR money?
@ Mallory
“HLS” & “ICE Priorities…
Have you seen them “brag” about taken down a hateful Islamic terrorist type webiste lately?
This administrations priories are so out of Whack … it really does boggle the mine.
IMHO as always…
BTW: You can always move to “D.C.” were online poker is legal now 😉
Best,
Dan
Hey Dan
Not going to move to D.C cause cant play bingo online there…..
Mallory
Any body know how I can get my money from funtime bingo since its been SEIZED ?
Not Kidding
Mallory
It is absolutely outrageous that Maryland state has the right to ‘seize’ a domain meaning that I, an individual betting perfectly legally here in a UK city, am unable to access the site – and therefore my account in it. Who do they think they are?! Is Maryland State going to refund my money??
The governments problem is really simple. They have to figure out how to TAX our WINNINGS from online gaming sites ! ! ! As if they don’t already steal enough of our hard earned money !!!! Now they are telling us where how, and who , we can spend OUR money on and with. This is crazy. We need to stop them. They will tell us what we can read , watch , and think next.