US government kills joy of millions of americans

Basi · *Last edited by Basi on 15 Apr 2011 07:05 pm; edited 1 time in total*

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/04/three-largest-online-poker-sites-indicted-and-shut-down-by-fbi.html

he founders of the three largest online poker sites were indicted by the FBI on Friday in what could serve as a death blow to the thriving industry.

Eleven executives at PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and a number of their affiliates were charged with bank fraud and money laundering in an indictment unsealed in a Manhattan court. Two of the defendants were arrested on Friday morning in Utah and Nevada. Federal agents are searching for the others.

Prosecutors are seeking to immediately shut down the sites and to eventually send the executives to jail and to recover $3 billion from the companies. By Friday afternoon Full Tilt Poker’s site displayed a message explaining that “this domain name has been seized by the F.B.I. pursuant to an Arrest Warrant.”

The online gambling industry has taken off over the last decade, drawing an estimated 15 million Americans to bet online.

In 2006 Congress passed a law curtailing online gambling. Most of the leading sites found ways to work around the law, but prosecutors allege that in doing so they broke the law.

“These defendants concocted an elaborate criminal fraud scheme, alternately tricking some U.S. banks and effectively bribing others to assure the continued flow of billions in illegal gambling profits,” Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, said in a statement.

Poker fans took to Twitter in droves, worried about the money in their online gaming accounts, fretting that online poker's days were at an end.

"Well the good news is I think I only had about $300 left on the online poker sites overall," tweeted Jimi Schindler of Madison, Wis. "Maybe I'll see that money?!!?"

Basi · Posted: 15 Apr 2011 07:05 pm Post subject:

afk moving to toronto

Rogerman · Posted: 15 Apr 2011 11:24 pm Post subject:

that is old news it was soemthing that bush did not obamamama

Basi · Posted: 16 Apr 2011 12:50 am Post subject:

Wrong on both accounts

the politically independent FBI did it about 17 hours ago. CEOs of AP, PS, FTP are currently detained and being questioned.

Multi down

Exactly · Posted: 16 Apr 2011 01:26 am Post subject:

I only have $44 on FTP, oh well I always knew I will never cash dam money out

Zubair · Posted: 16 Apr 2011 01:27 pm Post subject:

Yay for being Canadian?
Is this because of the regulation/law nonsense that passed like a year ago and only now is it going into effect in full force?

Exactly · Posted: 18 Apr 2011 02:40 am Post subject:

Basi · Posted: 18 Apr 2011 11:31 am Post subject:

I'm sure once they pass laws to regulate it in a way that Sam can tax the winnings, it will become legal again.

Danny · Posted: 19 Apr 2011 04:42 am Post subject:

Glad im german haha
Still sucks alot, pokerstars is so dead without the us players lol

Basi · Posted: 19 Apr 2011 09:30 am Post subject:

i've been playing for play money because i'm so bored/mad and every american is always on tilt lol

Exactly · Posted: 19 Apr 2011 06:46 pm Post subject:

xxtc1022xx · Posted: 29 Apr 2011 07:28 am Post subject:

im pretty sure there are some ways to cash out they have to give us the money some how