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Judge Unseals Warrants in Online Poker Bank Seizures
NEW YORK, NEW YORK --
Federal Judge Laura Swain ordered the US Attorney to disclose most of the information held in sealed warrants that supposedly authorized the forfeiture of bank accounts holding online poker money headed to US players. The judge said some sections, probably including names of witnesses and suspects, may be withheld.
The decision came after Costigan Media sued to have the warrants made public. US prosecutors had said the warrants should remain sealed, as they are pertinent to ongoing investigations. But Judge Swain said she saw no reason to keep the warrants from public inspection.
Poker News Daily reports that a warrant used to seize a Wells Fargo account referred to the money coming from an "illegal gambling business," notable as the only federal laws against gambling involves sports betting exclusively. No sports book funds are reportedly involved in the seizures.
The affidavits also reveal the FBI has been tracking money from what it calls "illegal Internet gambling businesses" since 2006.
Online poker rooms have said the government is hurting citizens who are not breaking any law, seizing funds without due process because actual court proceedings would validate the lack of criminality involved.
Prosecutors were ordered by the judge to keep her abreast of developments in the case, so that the redacted material may be exposed at the earliest possibility.
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