Home / Poker News May 2011 / More Domain Names Seized by Maryland Attorney
More Domain Names Seized by Maryland Attorney
Posted by: Randy Williams - Tue, 2011-05-24 10:08
The ripples in the wake of online poker’s Black Friday just can’t seem to set as more and more pebbles get tossed into the pond by various entities. On Monday, it was the turn of the US Attorney of Maryland to drop the hammer on 11
online poker and online betting operations. Ten domain names were seized, among them Doylesroom and Bookamker.com. In addition to the domains, the authorities also seized 11 accounts associated with the operations. Three people were indicted, charged with the usual litany of evil deeds: money laundering, conducting an illegal gambling business and possibly even bank fraud.
The operation was apparently a rather intricate one, as investigators used undercover agents to infiltrate the internal workings of a payment processing business which facilitated funds transfers between US-based players and offshore gambling operators.
The investigators had apparently convinced an active gambler in November 2009 to cooperate. The gambler was allegedly given $500 to open accounts at various online gambling sites and to play from Maryland. The online gambling operators then used the above mentioned payment processing company’s services to transfer the gambler’s winnings.
The payment processor had apparently made over 300,000 transactions in the interests of the above mentioned companies, thus facilitating their operations on US soil. Given the fact that online gambling is illegal in Maryland, the companies concerned by the moves of the US Attorney of Maryland have therefore clearly violated the law. According to the Attorney, the fact that the headquarters of a company are situated offshore does not give that company the right to disregard US laws.
If convicted, those indicted face some pretty serious maximum sentences: 20 years for money laundering and 5 years for operating an illegal gambling business.
It is an interesting fact that Doyle Brunson, the main Doylesroom representative, had parted ways with the online poker operation just days before the crackdown. Doyle said he didn’t want to be associated with a poker room which continued to accept US players as he wanted to get something going in a potentially legalized US online poker market.
