Free Republic

Women’s helpline authorities order probe, seek legal action against the accusedPatna: Authorities in Bihar are flummoxed after a man lost his wife in a gamble for a bottle of liquor. The saga came to light after the woman contacted the Women helpline over the weekend. She told the authorities how a man had been calling her on her cell phone claiming that he was her new husband. The victim is a resident of Bihta town in Patna district. “She [the victim] told us how a local man had been calling her on her mobile [phone] for some time claiming to...

A consulting firm will present its findings Tuesday on the potential impact of expanded gambling in Maryland as lawmakers continue to discuss possible legislation to add table games and a sixth casino in the state. Representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers are expected to testify at the second meeting of the state’s Work Group to Consider Gaming Expansion, a panel of lawmakers and executive-branch officials charged with deciding whether the General Assembly should pursue a gambling expansion bill at an expected special session next month. State officials say the panel’s recommendation will be largely based on the firm’s findings. Lawmakers have said the...

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley said Thursday he wants to call a special session for lawmakers to raise taxes and reverse $500 million in planned budget cuts but is waiting on House and Senate leaders to meet beforehand and work out a unified plan. During a day in which he conducted several radio and television interviews, the Democratic governor said he would call legislators back to Annapolis “a half-hour from now” but needs assurances that a special session will not include the bickering and gamesmanship that caused a revenue package to fall through Monday on the General Assembly’s last day, triggering...

THE US Department of Justice has ordered the world’s biggest investment banks, accountants and law firms to hand over all e-mails, telephone records and papers connected with internet gaming firms as part of an investigation into illegal online gambling in America. HSBC, Dresdner Kleinwort, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank are known to be among the banks that have been issued with subpoenas — official requests for information — as part of a worldwide hunt to build a case against those who benefited from illegal online gambling. Britain has been the fundraising centre for many internet gambling companies, with a number...

A longtime officer turned bank robber was in desperate financial straits apparently caused by a gambling problem. On the morning that police say Attorney General investigator Karen Yontz robbed a bank and forced officers to shoot her by pointing a gun at them, a writ ordering her wages garnisheed for an unpaid loan was sent to a judge for approval. Santa Fe County District Court records showed that, as of Feb. 28, Yontz owed $7,994.99 to CitiFinancial Inc. for a loan taken out in 2000. Yontz's husband, Bernalillo County Assistant District Attorney Jim Yontz, told KOAT-TV channel 7 on Monday...