Federal Online Gambling Inquiry Grabs Processor E-Mail
The latest move by the federal investigation into online gambling bank accounts is the seizure of e-mails to and from Electracash, one of the payment-processing companies whose bank accounts were taken by authorities in July. According to reports by the Baltimore City Paper, new warrants have been issued for the e-mails, as officials look for damning statements concerning gambling.
The warrants were signed by US District Judge James Bredar on October 9th. The affidavit sworn by law enforcement officers to acquire the warrants is under seal, as were the original warrants allowing the seizure of bank accounts containing payment to US residents who won at online poker.
That seal was eventually lifted by a judge after a media company's suit determined there were no compelling reasons to hide the information from the public.
The warrant was given on the testimony of a US Customs officer, Richard Gunn. Gunn had previously applied for warrants used against bank accounts of Forshay Enterprises, another payment processor.
The government's case against online gambling continues to revolve around seizing cash and then daring its owners to come seek it. Electracash's alleged owners, Edward Courdy and Michael Garone, have been charged with money laundering, but have never been called by any court to face charges.
Instead, the government took $14 million from Garone, and $10 million from Courdy, along with $40 million in online gambling processing bank accounts, and seems content to keep the money, knowing the owners won't chance an appearance in US court.
