Online Gambling Bank Account Seizures Continue
The US government continued to seize bank accounts containing payment transfers intended for US residents who had won at online gambling. Six accounts, all with Wachovia Bank, were involved in the seizure by the Maryland US Attorney's office.The new seizures bring the reported number of accounts raided to fifteen. The number may be more, as US authorities have done their best to keep the case unreported and out of the news. Speculation has been that publicity might anger a public learning that their government is protecting them from the dangers of online gambling by seizing money belonging to them.
The newly seized accounts belonged to Forshay Enterprises. Law enforcement officials said the seizures were made to end money laundering processes.
The series of raids on bank accounts began in the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, but has expanded to include the Maryland office, US Customs, and the Louisiana State Police. Louisiana's cooperation is key, because the state has a law on the books making online gambling illegal, something the federal government does not.
In fact, reports have been made that Golden Casino, one of the investigators' targets, properly turned down applications by undercover officers looking to establish accounts from Louisiana. However, after numerous attempts to entrap the casino, a law enforcement member managed to join the casino from Louisiana.
Reports have also been made that Obama officials have encouraged the development of investigations against online casinos. This may be another reason for the low profile kept in the case, as Obama campaigned on changing Bush administration abuses from the Justice Department, but apparently has obligations to vested interests to continue inventing quasi-legal methods of obstructing online gambling.
