Online Gambling Target of New US Attorney Task Force
Voters who believed electing Barack Obama would mean change in the areas of Internet freedom and persecutions by the US Department of Justice continue to be disappointed, as the DoJ under Eric Holder seems as or more aggressive in attacking online casinos as under the Bush administration. The latest news is that bank account seizures of online gambling payment funds under Maryland warrants are led by a new task force assembled specifically to disrupt and shut down Internet gambling by US residents.While the US Attorney for the District of Maryland, Rod Rosenstein, is a holdover from Bush appointees, sources close to the investigation indicate the measures involving the seizure of money being sent to US patrons collecting winnings have the support of the Obama administration.
The task force, known as the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, was introduced on August 18th by Rosenstein, who noted the group would investigate mortgage fraud and other financial crimes. Gaming insiders did not suspect they were included in this grouping, as there is no federal law against Internet gambling, and only six states have laws against the hobby.
According to a release by Rosenstein's office, the goal of the task force is "to go after the fruits and instrumentalities of crime," apparently while skimming through a review of existing statutes and enforcing laws it assumes probably exist.
Rosenstein said the unit would use the advantages of civil forfeiture laws, which do not require proof beyond a reasonable doubt and shift much of the burden to the defendant, to attack supposed criminal enterprises. One wit noted it is nice to see our government intent on aggressively pursuing a goal, but that it's too bad the goal is to subvert the need for a writ of habeas corpus and the right to due process.
