judge freezes payments of online poker

[MadJack]

<HR style="COLOR: #cecece; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cecece" SIZE=1> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/APNews...4&asset=&ccode

APNewsBreak: Group says poker winnings are frozen

APNewsBreak: Group says government has frozen online poker players' winnings

WASHINGTON (AP) -- An advocacy group for online poker says the federal government has frozen the accounts of payment processors that handle the winnings of thousands of online poker players.

The Poker Players Alliance says those winnings are worth upward of $30 million.

The alliance tells The Associated Press that the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York told three banks to freeze the accounts.

A document obtained by the AP shows that a judge in the district issued a seizure warrant last week for an account at a Wells Fargo bank in San Francisco.

The Justice Department has long maintained that Internet gambling is illegal, a view that the poker group challenges.
<!-- / message --><!-- edit note --><HR style="COLOR: #cecece; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cecece" SIZE=1>

 

[MadJack]

<HR style="COLOR: #cecece; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cecece" SIZE=1> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->
http://theppa.org/press-releases/200...nt-ppa-060909/


June 9th, 2009
By Poker Players Alliance
Information for PPA Members on Actions by the Southern District of New York

As of June 9, 2009

In light of recent events by the Southern District of New York (SDNY) to freeze payment processor accounts containing pay-outs to online poker players, the PPA would like to clarify the facts as we know them today. Be assured, the PPA is keeping close tabs on this situation and is doing everything possible to protect our members? money and rights.

* On or about June 4, 2009, a federal agent working with a federal prosecutor from the Southern District of New York contacted at least two banks in the Los Angeles and Scottsdale areas and requested that accounts containing approximately $19 million in player deposits and payouts be immediately frozen until a seizure warrant could be obtained from an appropriate judicial officer.
o It is important to underscore that in at least two cases, the prosecutor acted and the banks responded without a warrant being issued.
* Two days prior, the same agent and prosecutor team sent a seizure order to Wells Fargo freezing at least $14 million in accounts at that bank which were designated as pay-outs of winnings to Internet poker player.
* In most cases, the pay-outs were the return of initial deposits made by players.
That same prosecutor sent two subpoenas to two individuals associated with one of the payment processing companies.
* The seizure notice and subpoenas appear to allege violations of the Wire Act and the Illegal Gambling Business Act, even by .com sites that are exempt from Wire Act liability and by .net sites that do not accept money.
* These actions are not related to enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA.).
* At least 24,000 player accounts have been affected directly or indirectly by the SDNY action.
PPA has been in touch with the affected poker Web sites and has been assured that all players have been or will be appropriately reimbursed.
* On Monday, June 8th, the PPA sent a letter to the Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York asking to be part of any future warrant hearings. The letter is available at www.pokerplayersalliance.org.

The PPA is working closely with legal counsel on this issue to determine the appropriate course of action and will keep members updated as events warrant.

This is yet another example of misguided efforts to prohibit online poker. A more effective way to provide important protections while allowing individuals the freedom to play poker online is to regulate and license the industry. We need your help to make this happen. Send a letter to your member of Congress asking them to support licensing and regulating online poker.
<!-- / message -->

 

[dickiesports]

Well

Well

Time to close all of your online poker accounts and stick to finding a local legal venue.

 

[The Joker]

Time to close all of your online poker accounts and stick to finding a local legal venue.

Obama will fix this!

 

[BobbyBlueChip]

Obama will fix this!

He will.

 

[hedgehog]

Obama will fix this!

 

[JOSHNAUDI]

I just happened to have a payout in process that was approved but then cancelled last night - Full Tilt threw in an extra hundred today (unsolicited) for the trouble.

Approved on June 2nd - cancelled on June 8th

Here's the email I got

Hi Jobey,

We are writing to you in relation to your Bank Transfer withdrawal request:

Date: 02-Jun-09
Time: 17:47 EST
Transfer Reference: 0340A39
Amount: $550.00

Unfortunately due to an issue with one of our 3rd party processors, this transaction has not been processed. To resolve this issue, your withdrawal amount will be returned to your Full Tilt Poker account within the next 24 hours so that you may initiate another withdrawal at your convenience.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this has caused. As a token of appreciation for your patience in this matter, we will be crediting your Full Tilt Poker account with $100.00 within the next 24 hours.

If you have any questions please reply to this email.

Sincerely,

Full Tilt Poker Support

 

[captmorgan34]

any new info? Will this in any way affect sports betting at all? thx:shrug:

 

[The Judge]

judge freezes payments of online poker

Jack, I swear it wasn't me. ..