FEDS SEIZE 30 MILLION IN US PLAYERS ASSETS

I ,m hoping this can cause a significant stir in the right direction and force our government to act with a conscience.
- Thomas Jefferson said:"
if a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so."



http://www.yahoo.com/s/1084079


There have been rumors lately that the Department of Justice was looking to crack down on payment processors of some of the major online poker sites. It has now been confirmed that the DoJ has issued an order that the accounts of several payment processors from four banks to be frozen and the cash seized.

Poker players were having some trouble recently when checks they were getting from some Internet poker sites, specifically Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars, began bouncing. It was later revealed that a letter had been sent to four banks, including Wells Fargo in San Fransisco, Citibank, and two other banks, demanding that they freeze the accounts of payment processors Account Services and Allied Systems. The letter was signed by the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Arlo Devlin-Brown. He states that the funds were frozen “because they constitute property involved in money laundering transactions and illegal gambling offenses.” Later in the day, the banks received another letter informing them to consider the funds “legally seized” by the FBI.

The Poker Players Alliance contacted all of the parties involved and issued a statement on the issue. In it they state that they are “disappointed that this unprecedented action has been commenced against law abiding poker players.” They also ask that the Southern District of New York immediately release the funds to the players. In addition, they state that they are “coordinating a legal strategy to appropriately protect PPA members who are impacted by the Southern District’s actions.”

The PPA does state that they have contacted the poker sites affected by this and that the sites have stated that customers will receive all money due to them.

This step by the Department of Justice is quite an unprecedented move. In the same letter issued by the PPA, they state, “We are also concerned that the Southern District has selectively taken action against online poker when the current law regarding the activity is far from clear, and policies from various levels of government are inconsistent at best. In fact, no federal or state court has ever found a payment processor or a players accessing an Internet poker site to have violated the federal laws alleged by the Southern District in this case.”

There will undoubtedly be much more information on this situation throughout the coming days and weeks. This action affects us all as poker players, obviously more so for American players. It will be interesting to see if lawmakers, such as Barney Frank, have any input on the situation and if it help to push forward the process of bringing about the regulation of online poker. Either way it is an unfortunate setback for online poker that we will all be watching very closely.

Wow, Im trying to find more words but Wow keeps popping up, Im still amazed that the U.S casinos compleatly missed the bus on online poker. It is these asses that are paying the lobbiest that encouraged the lawmakers to do this to the Tax Paying Poker Players in the USA. Well Once congress makes something illeagle and made tons of election money to do it,(IE- pot is a dangerous drug no one can have it) It takes more than 50 yrs to change it.. but on the good side of this It should get some danders up!!!... Great Blog thanks for the info.. Razor

Well.... I guess this might be showdown time. Yep... it's the river and we need a good card. It's time for ALL online poker players to step up and call this bluff! Let's ALL get in touch with our congress men and women and let them know how we feel about the game of poker. Poker IS a game of skill and not just another form of gambling. We need to express ourselves at this time in the history of online poker and make our views and concerns known. Yes, this may very well change online poker a great deal, but WE as online poker players have a great opportunity here to write the history books on online poker! We could just sit back on our backsides and let the chips fall where they may... or we can be the aggressor and take control of the pot and come out a winner! Let's take this flop we have been presented and show our lawmakers we indeed have the best hand! There are some 10,000,000 online poker players in this country! We can make a difference!

datsme53,

Willis Nowell

Hey jimmy, by the way, great post on this subject! I have just read article and some 37 comments on abcnews.go... this is ridiculous! There are claiming to justify seizing assets by saying that it is suspected money laundering for drugs...etc! What a scam! I don't believe that online poker sites are doing any such thing! Any thoughts from others on this angle?......there are now 38 comments!

Hey, yes its a ruse.. the state of Ny. just like the rest of the country has bad money problems.. this is a stickem up ploy just for the cash.. it dont have any thing to do with any thing leagle. or not by the victims .. pure money grab by the state ..the vage laws let them do this crap . but when it comes to the citizens the laws are very clear..cut and dry on any aspect. they suck and the us govmt. sucks for letting them do this.. just my thought
Razor